Clockwork Heart
by Light In The Void
Summary: Clemont builds a robot to help him out at the Gym. He builds Ash. (Robot!Ash AU, alternate start to XY, Diodeshipping...kinda?)
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, I have an idea for a really short one-shot, I said. It'll only take a week to write, I said. I'll have it written by next episode, I said._

 _-TWO YEARS LATER-_  
 _('next episode' was, in fact, Ash vs Clemont at the Lumiose Gym, which should give some perspective lol)_

 _A mountain of heartfelt thanks and gratitude to my friend who both beta-read this for me and also put up with me screaming to them about this fic for the past two years. Thanks for your patience, your support and your help! C: Any mistakes that remain are mine alone._

 _This is NOT a WIP fic - the story is already finished. Updates will be Tuesdays and Fridays, assuming I remember (sorry if I don't). This has been on AO3 for a few chapters now so I'm finally getting around to posting it here too lol_

 _Hope you enjoy!_

 _EDIT [27/6/17]: Just realised this site is eating all my section breaks which must have made it a horror to read, so as of ch 17 I'm going back through and adding them all back in :\ I trusted you, ffnet..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

 _Hrm, I just need to attach this blue wire here and that red one to the port over there…_

Clemont's brows furrow in concentration as he works on his latest invention. The wires click into place effortlessly. _There!_ _Now I just close this panel like so…_

After screwing the panel into place, Clemont sits back and wipes his forehead. "Okay, all done!" A quick glance at the clock tells him he's already been at this for hours and his stomach is complaining that he's skipped lunch, but his invention is almost done. This is one of the most complicated machines he's ever built so far, and Clemont has a feeling it's going to be one of his best. _Well,_ he corrects himself sheepishly, _assuming it doesn't decide to blow up in my face like the last ten or so attempts, that is_ …

Still, there's no time to worry about that now. _The future is now, thanks to science!_

Hands on hips, he studies the robot before him, double-checking the blueprints one final time. _Everything looks in order._ "Next up is the programming!" he tells it cheerfully.

"First up is making this AI into the ideal Gym Leader…" Clemont has thought long and hard before now about what specific qualities he wants to include in his programming alongside the base programs. His fingers fly over the keys as he muses aloud. "The challenger should have about four badges…" _Four badges is a good midpoint for skill… and this way my Pokémon can grow as well. Hrm, what else…?_ "Oh, right. You need to be kind to the challenger, but sometimes you need to be strict as well…"

Clemont inputs a bit more data – battle strategies, statistics, a learning system so that his robot can improve and become more experienced with every battle without needing his input – until he is satisfied that his AI system is perfect. Only then does he stand up and stretch, feeling cramped muscles groan before looking down at his newest creation with a pleased air. This time it'll work for sure, he can feel it!

"Now I just have to set the voice code for the recognition system…" he says aloud, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I can always change it later, so for now, how about… ' _sandwich_ '!"

"Clemont!" The doors to his workshop swish open and Bonnie runs in, skidding to a stop. "Hurry up, there's a challenger waiting!"

"Got it!" Clemont replies, sighing internally. He's so close to finishing! However, his duty as Gym Leader must always come first. _Besides, there's the chance that_ this _time it'll be an interesting challenge_! he thinks, mood brightening as he heads towards the door. "I'm –"

His foot catches in one of the cables lying across the floor. Clemont flails uselessly in midair for a moment before gravity takes hold, sending him crashing face-first into the ground. He pushes himself up with a wince, his entire body smarting. _At least I didn't break my glasses…_ he sighs with relief. His relief is short-lived.

 _CRAAAAASH!_

 _Oh no, don't tell me–!_ Heart in mouth, Clemont looks back over his shoulder to find his precious robot sprawled across the floor. "Ahh! Clembot!"

He rushes over to pick up the fallen robot and lean him against the platform's edge carefully, running his hands over smooth metal to check for any damage. Aside from one small dent, Clembot appears to be fine. His worry leaves him in a huff of breath.

"What have you made this time?" Bonnie asks, peering over his shoulder curiously and he remembers that he hasn't yet told her about his plans for this particular invention of his.

"It's a robot to help me out with the Gym," he explains. "So I can have time to do other stuff as well, since we have so many challengers nowadays…" Clemont smiles at his creation, reaching out to brush away some dust from Clembot's encounter with the floor. "I'm the Gym Leader, Clemont. Please bear with me from today on," he tells it quietly.

"Wow," Bonnie breathes. "That's brilliant, bro! You made it from scratch?"

Clemont flushes a little with pride. "Yes. His name is Clembot."

Bonnie makes a face at him. "Geez Clemont! You can't name it after yourself! That's so lame!"

His cheeks flare pink. "Well, what would you call him then?" he retorts. Bonnie actually appears to give this serious thought, holding a finger to her chin as she 'hrm's.

"How about… Ash?"

"Ash?" Clemont repeats. "Why that name?"

"Maybe if we pre-emptively call him Ash, he won't explode and turn into ash!" she explains brightly. Clemont just buries his face in his hands. He's sure his things don't explode _that_ frequently, do they…? Bonnie pats him on the back sympathetically.

A few more moments of silence, and then –

"Ah!" they both suddenly exclaim in unison, leaping to their feet. "The challenger!"

/\/\/\

His strategies are sound and his Pokémon battle extremely well; the challenger and his Pokémon, less so. Clemont sees off the previously hopeful Trainer with an invitation to try again later, but sighs when the Trainer is gone. It's not that it wasn't a good battle, but so many of his Gym matches nowadays just have no spark to them, no opportunity to learn.

"Thank you for your hard work, Heliolisk," he tells the Pokémon at his feet, kneeling down to pat Heliolisk's head before returning it to its Pokéball.

"Clemont!" Bonnie comes running up to him. "You did it! Well done!" He barely has time to thank her before she's tugging on his arm, almost making him lose his balance and fall over. "Now we gotta go test your robot, come on!"

He laughs and stands up. "It's not going anywhere, Bonnie." His sister doesn't appear to have heard him, bouncing around him in excitement. Clemont isn't going to lie; his heart is starting to pound with anticipation as well. "Let's go!"

Somehow they manage to carry the robot down to the Gym arena – well, _Clemont_ manages to carry it down since Bonnie is too small to carry its weight, but she helps her brother navigate the stairs and corridors between the Gym and his workshop. They set it down in the middle of the battlefield and stand back, looking the robot over. The metal figure is not that much bigger than Clemont. _The design may be a little basic_ , the inventor concedes _, but it's functional_. _I can always improve it later if I need to. The most important thing is that it works!_

"Amazing!" Bonnie cries, jumping and clapping in excitement as she looks up at her brother's newest creation. The robot looks a lot more impressive standing here than he did sprawled out over the floor of her brother's workshop. "Quick, activate it!"

"Very well!" Clemont replies. "Ah – Clembot, activate!" He can see Bonnie making a face at him out of the corner of his eye and winces. _It's not_ that _bad of a name, surely?_

Before them, the robot blinks and straightens. "Welcome to the Lumiose Gym!" it announces.

A wide grin breaks across Clemont's face. _It's working!_ he thinks excitedly. _Right, first let's try Pokémon battles…_

"I'd like to have a Gym match," he requests in a clear voice.

"Sure!" is the excited reply, making Clemont blink. _Robots can't get excited… can they?_ Before he can contemplate it further, the robot manages to look sheepish, raising a hand to the back of its head. "Oh wait, I'm meant to ask how many badges you have…"

Clemont frowns. This response is unexpected, in more ways than one. "Huh? Um, I don't have any badges…"

It folds its arms in a surprisingly human gesture. Clemont gets the feeling the robot would be frowning, if it had eyebrows. "Mmmm, this is a problem then," it mutters, more to itself than to the two confused siblings.

"Um, sorry, what do you mean?" Clemont asks, bewildered. As far as he can remember, there's absolutely nothing in the code he wrote that would make it act like this!

"You're meant to have at least four badges before you can challenge me," the robot explains, still looking as troubled as a robot can possibly look. "But I really wanna battle…!"

Clemont blinks. "Huh? I only put in that I'd _like_ them to have around four badges, if possible…" he trails off, watching the robot's posture brighten. Its eyes glow brightly for a second.

"Oh, really?" it asks excitedly. "Awesome! In that case, let's battle!"

Clemont and Bonnie both watch in bemusement as the robot hurries off to the Gym Leader's side of the field. Part of Clemont notes absently the way its stride sometimes wobbles and starts to plan out what adjustments are needed to fix it; the rest of him is still feeling off-balance by just how… _excited_ the robot seems to be.

"Ah, Clemont…?" Bonnie asks, as the robot starts patting down its chest plate. "Are you sure it's working okay…?"

"I… think so…?" he replies honestly. Over on the other side of the field, the robot apparently can't find whatever it was looking for and jogs back towards them.

The reason soon becomes apparent when he stops in front of them. "I don't have a Pokémon to battle with…" it says. Again, there's that strange note in his voice that Clemont would _swear_ is disappointment, not to mention the robot's almost mournful air.

"Oh, yes, my apologies!" Clemont says, deciding he must be imagining it. Considering he doesn't think he's slept much the last few days, it's quite possible. "Here, you can borrow one of mine for now." He holds out Magneton's Pokéball and the robot takes it carefully.

"Thanks!" Its eyes light up again and it bounds back to his side of the gym field, Clemont's Pokéball in hand. Clemont watches it go thoughtfully, still feeling a warm spark of pride that his invention seems to be working so far.

"Come on Clemont, you've got a battle to win!" Bonnie calls out from the sidelines and Clemont blinks. _Oh, right, the battle!_

He takes his place on the opposite side of the field. It feels a little odd to be standing here as a 'challenger' when he's so used to being on the other side of things, but it's an interesting new perspective. Clemont already knows what Pokémon he's going to battle with. "Go! Heliolisk!"

"A Heliolisk!" The robot exclaims as Clemont's Pokémon emerges, looking ready to battle. "Alright then, here's my Pokemon!"

Magneton bursts from its Pokéball and swirls a little in mid-air, confused as to why it's facing its own Trainer in battle.

"It's just a practice match, Magneton! That's my Gym Leader robot, please listen to it like you would me! And come at me with all your strength!" Clemont calls. The magnet Pokémon buzzes happily in understanding and swirls down to hover beside the robot. "Pleased to meet you, Magneton!" the robot tells it. "Let's do our best!" Magneton twirls in agreement.

Clemont's heart is already starting to pound with excitement. _Right, it's time to test out the battle strategies I programmed and see if it can keep up!_

The robot wastes no time in calling an attack: "Let's go! Thunder Shock!"

 _A Thunder Shock as a way of greeting,_ Clemont thinks in satisfaction. _That's a procedure I programmed!_ Still, there's a long way to go to win yet and Clemont has no intentions of losing. "Heliolisk, neutralise it with Mud Slap!"

Heliolisk flicks his tail and sends dirt flying towards Magneton, just as the magnet Pokémon releases a bolt of lightning. The electricity slams into the dirt and discharges without making contact with Heliolisk, the Thunder Shock cancelled out.

 _That was a good opening exchange. Let's see what happens if I do this...!_ "It's our turn! Dragon Tail!" Clemont calls. Heliolisk leaps into the air, tail glowing with green scales as it sweeps down towards the other Pokémon.

"Magneton, dodge!" the robot calls. For a split second, Magneton separates into individual Magnemite, letting Heliolisk's tail pass through harmlessly before magnetic force pulls itself back together. "Good work! Now, while it's recovering! Thunder Shock!"

Clemont can see that Heliolisk isn't going to be able to dodge in midair as easily as Magneton had done earlier. "Heliolisk!" he yells in worry as the lizard Pokémon takes a direct hit from Magneton's attack, crashing to the ground. "Are you alright?"

Heliolisk leaps back onto his feet with a noise of affirmation. Clemont breathes a silent sigh of relief – _an electric attack wouldn't have done much damage to an electric Pokémon, but even so_ – and studies the two figures opposite him. More specifically, he studies his robot. So far, it's holding up both physically and strategically; Clemont can't help the small smile of pride that appears. _It's working!_ he thinks gleefully. His AI is picking good countermoves to everything he's thrown at it so far.

"Magneton! Follow up with Flash Cannon!"

Flash Cannon uses light energy to attack; it's Magneton's most powerful move. Unfortunately for his opponent, Clemont knows just how to counter it. "Use Mud Slap to blind it, please!"

Mud splatters across Magneton, preventing the Pokémon from being able to see. Furthermore, the mud blocks the light shining across Magneton's steel body, stopping it from generating light. Magneton spins around frantically, trying to shake off the mud. It's an easy target. "Dragon Tail!"

Magneton crashes to the ground. Internally he winces, mentally apologising to his Pokémon for causing it damage. Still, he needs to make this battle hard, to see what his robot is actually capable of.

"Nice one, Clemont!" Bonnie calls from the sidelines.

Clemont chuckles at the robot's sound of dismay. "You'll have to do better than that!" he admonishes. There's something odd about this battle that Clemont can't really put his finger on. Then it dawns on him – he's having _fun._

"Magneton, can you still battle?" the robot asks. Magneton recovers and floats back up, buzzing determinedly. "Great! Let's give it our all!" the robot declares. "Flash Cannon!"

 _Again?_ Clemont thinks in dismay. _But it clearly failed the first time around…_ "Mud Shot!" Maybe he'd congratulated himself too soon; it looked like his AI wasn't learning from previous mistakes. Still, until now it had done a good job, so with a few more tweaks maybe…

"Quick, Magneton, dodge and use Mirror Shot!"

 _What?_

The air in the Gym flashes brightly, Magneton's steel body catching the light and sending it back threefold. Heliolisk skids to a stop, blinded by the light. _Magneton's Mirror Shot isn't usually this bright!_ Clemont thinks, shielding his eyes with an arm and squinting through his glasses. The light seems like it's coming from _all_ directions –

His eyes widen. _They're using the light tubes around the Gym to reflect and multiply the light as well!_

"Now, Magneton!" Clemont hears the robot call, although he can't see a thing. "Flash Cannon, one more time!"

 _With all this light, Flash Cannon will get a massive power boost!_ "Heliolisk, dodge it!"

Even as he says the words, he knows it's in vain. How is Heliolisk meant to dodge an attack that comes from all sides? _None of the strategies I programmed were anything like this!_ Clemont thinks in shock, hiding his face as the light intensifies around them, signalling Magneton charging his attack. _What kind of a combination is that?!_

Heliolisk cries out and the light fades. "Heliolisk!" Clemont yells the second it doesn't hurt to open his eyes. His Pokémon gets up with difficulty, staggering to its feet. _That last attack did a lot of damage…_ Clemont frowns to himself. _I don't think Heliolisk can take another hit like that!_

"Let's finish this! Tackle!" the robot calls.

 _If you're going to attack from all sides, then so will I!_ "Parabolic Charge!" Clemont counters.

Heliolisk's frill flares out as he lets loose a ball of lightning. Magneton's Tackle carries it almost directly into the lightning's path. The magnet Pokémon lets out a trilling cry before it crashes into the ground in a faint.

"Magneton is unable to battle!" Bonnie announces. "Clemont wins!"

Battle over, Clemont dashes out onto the battlefield to drop his knees beside the fallen Pokémon. "Magneton! Are you alright?"

He breathes a sigh of relief when Magneton wakes up and buzzes at him happily. "I'm glad. You battled really well!" Heliolisk bounds up beside him, health recovered by the Parabolic Charge's effect. "You did a great job as well," Clemont tells his Pokémon with a smile. "I'm proud of both of you."

A shadow falls over the three of them. Clemont looks up to find his robot standing over them and scrambles to his feet. "I lost, but that was really fun!" it tells him, eyes glowing. "Your Heliolisk is really strong!" To Clemont's surprise, the robot kneels down and reaches out a hand to pat Heliolisk before looking towards Magneton floating beside him. "Still, Magneton and I gave it our all; we'll just have to do even better next time! Right, Magneton?" The magnet Pokémon makes an agreeing noise.

His robot stands up and holds out a closed fist. "Here, you earned this." Clemont's hand rises automatically in response, catching the object that it drops into his palm. It's a Voltage Badge, he realises with some bemusement. _Well, I did request a Gym battle, I suppose…_

"Ah, thanks…?" _I don't really need my own Gym's badge though…_

"Let's battle again sometime!" it says enthusiastically. Clemont smiles at the robot's eagerness, although he knows he'll have to do some reprogramming, not to mention figure out where such an unorthodox combo came from. For now, though, it seems his invention is a success.

"Clemont!" Bonnie appears next to them. "That was amazing!" Her attention is caught by the shiny badge still sitting on Clemont's palm and she giggles. "Oh hey, you got your own badge."

The robot tilts his head to the side, looking confused. Clemont realises that he hasn't introduced himself to it yet – although surely the recognition software should've kicked in? – and closes his hand around the badge, smiling up at his newest invention.

"I'm the Gym Leader, Clemont," he tells it. "And you're the Gym Leader robot…" he glances over at his sister. She raises her eyebrows at him, mouthing _'It's a lame name!'_. Clemont sighs internally. _Well, since I have no other ideas…_ "Ash. Your name is Ash from now on."

"Ash," the robot repeats. "I like it! Sounds good."

"And I'm Bonnie, Clemont's younger sister!" she pipes up, raising a hand. "Pleased to meet you!"

"From now on, you'll be helping me out at the Gym. Please bear with me!" Clemont holds out his other hand.

Ash's eyes light up again and Clemont suddenly wonders if that's the robot's way of smiling. He doesn't get time to wonder about it too long, however, before his hand is clasped in a firm grip. The metal of Ash's hand is cool against his skin. "Yeah!" Ash replies enthusiastically. "I look forward to working with you!" The robot glances down toward Bonnie. "It's good to meet you too, Little Sister Bonnie!"

Bonnie laughs. "Just 'Bonnie' is fine! And you can just call _him_ 'Clemont'!" She tugs on Clemont's jumpsuit to get his attention. "You really outdid yourself on this one, Clemont!"

It's Clemont's turn to laugh, embarrassed. "Thanks… I've still got some adjustments to make though, so Ash, can you go back to my workshop please?"

"Sure." After glancing around, Ash turns around and starts heading towards the stairs that lead to his workshop, waving to Magneton as he goes. Clemont blinks in surprise – _what was that?_ – as Magneton buzzes happily next to him.

"That was a really exciting battle, wasn't it, Clemont?" Bonnie asks from beside him, bouncing on her feet.

"Hrm?" Clemont replies absently, watching the robot start to climb the stairs. His eyes flick down to the badge still in his hand and then back up to Ash thoughtfully. "Yeah, it was…"

He just needs to figure out what in the world happened in that battle.

/\/\/\

Up in his workshop, Clemont's fingers fly over the keyboard as he searches through Ash's code for abnormalities or errors. He hopes that he can use whatever he finds to figure out exactly how Ash had come up with such an unorthodox – and _unprogrammed_ – move combination. So far, however, the inventor has found absolutely nothing.

"Nothing here either…" he sighs. _That can't be right, there's got to be something!_ Pushing his glasses further up his nose, Clemont decides to look elsewhere for the glitch. "I'll try the battle logs, there might be something in there…"

Unfortunately, scrolling through the logs gets him no further than he was before. It's easy enough to track the robot's logic at the start of the battle – Clemont recognises a lot of it as strategies he himself wrote into the code. But after that…!

 _This bit here makes sense…_ Clemont thinks, studying the screen intently. _That's the first Flash Cannon attack and here's my response with Mud Slap…_

He frowns. According to the data here, Ash's AI had decided using Flash Cannon a second time was too risky and blacklisted the move… but then the robot had gone ahead and used it anyway? _That's definitely odd._ Even more troubling is that there isn't any sort of record here to explain how or why Ash had decided combining Mirror Shot and Flash Cannon would work. There's absolutely nothing in the code that should allow anything like this!

Clemont sits back with a sigh. "What am I going to do with you?" he muses quietly, looking up at the still form of his robot hooked up to the computer system. His invention works, but is it safe to let it run the Gym for him for a while? It would be terrible if something happened during a Gym battle… but Ash had seemed so excited about helping out…

 _That's another thing,_ Clemont thinks, leaning back on his hands and staring out the window at the city nightscape below. _How in the world does a robot get excited about anything? I don't remember programming that either._

His thoughts are interrupted by a beep from the computer. Clemont sits up straight again, curious as to what the computer has found. _That's weird,_ he thinks, leaning in for a closer look. _None of these files should be locked. This could be what I was looking for!_

When he tries to access the file, however, the screen beeps angrily at him:

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

"A voice code?" Clemont repeats aloud, scratching his head. "Oh wait, wasn't it something like… 'Sandwich'!" he says triumphantly, only to wilt when the computer beeps angrily at him again. "What? It has to be 'sandwich'!" Clemont wails back at it. The computer beeps at him again. He wilts further, face sinking into hands. _This is bad, I don't know what else it could be!_

He sighs. "Well, I guess it's not causing any harm to leave it for now…" Clemont unplugs the cables connecting Ash to the computer and closes the robot's back panel. _I'll just have to keep a close eye on things for a while, I guess…_

The lack of sleep of the past few days finally catches up to him in the form of a wide yawn. Clemont stretches and stands up, patting his robot on the head gently as he leaves. "Good night, Ash," he tells it as he switches off the lights and shuts the doors behind him, hiding another yawn behind his hand.

After he's cleaned his teeth and said goodnight to Bonnie, Clemont crawls into bed. Despite being unable to find anything in the code to explain the abnormalities during the battle, Clemont still feels the glow of pride and success that his invention seems to be working properly. He looks down at his hand, unfurling fingers to reveal the Voltage Badge that Ash had handed him earlier. The sight of it brings a quiet smile to his face and he reaches out to set it carefully on the bedside table, next to his glasses, before he switches off the lamp.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! :D_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Clemont rolls out of bed when the sun starts to peek over the horizon the next morning, too keyed up with nerves and excitement to try and keep sleeping. Ash is due to make his debut as Lumiose's Gym Leader robot today!

"Today's a big day, Ash," he whispers, mindful of the fact that Bonnie is still asleep. "Your first day as a Gym Leader! I'm sure you'll do well." Their battle yesterday had proven that, even if Clemont was still stumped over some of the details. Ash would do fine today. Still, it couldn't hurt to just check things over one last time, could it…?

Which is how Bonnie finds him a few hours later, still in pyjamas and wielding a screwdriver at a time most normal people would only just be waking up. "Morning… geez Clemont, did you even sleep?"

"What?" Clemont says absently, still focused on his work.

Bonnie just shakes her head. Typical. "Come make breakfast, I'm starving!"

/\/\/\

After breakfast, Clemont activates Ash in the workshop (he's learnt his lesson about carrying the robot down several flights of stairs) and the three of them walk down to the Gym. Clemont can tell he's not the only excited one (although his is bordering on acute nerves) by the way Bonnie leaps down the steps two at a time. Ash keeps pace with him, although it seems to Clemont – and maybe this is just Clemont's imagination – that the robot would like to follow Bonnie's lead and rush down as well.

They've still got some time before challengers usually start turning up, so Clemont takes the opportunity to introduce Ash officially to his Pokémon since they'll be working together after all. Magnemite is the most curious, being the only one who hasn't seen Ash before now. "Everyone, this is Ash. He's a robot I made to help me out at the Gym sometimes, so please listen to him in battle like you would with me, okay?"

There's a chorus of agreement from his Pokémon. Magneton twirls around Ash with a happy buzz; Ash returns the greeting with a grin. "Thanks guys! Let's do our best!"

Not too long after that, the first challenger of the day shows up and Clemont takes a spot next to Bonnie in the stands. As the robot and Trainer exchange greetings, he tries in vain to stop his hands from trembling. It's a useless attempt. Clemont lets out a big breath instead, trying to calm his nerves.

Nope.

"Ahhh, this is so nerve-wracking!" he confesses quietly to Bonnie. She smiles reassuringly at him and pats his arm – _don't worry, it'll be fine!_ – and returns her gaze to the battlefield, where robot and Trainer are now taking their place at either end. With his heart thumping loudly in his chest, Clemont watches the battle begin.

He needn't have worried, however. Ash shows the same flair for Pokémon battles that he did in their battle yesterday, handling Magnemite and Heliolisk like he's been their Trainer for years rather than a single day. For Clemont, it's actually rather amazing to watch all of his programming being translated into the real world like this. There's a strong sense of pride in his work as he watches Ash battle, but that doesn't stop him sighing in relief when Ash wins, nor smiling at the way Ash waves his arms excitedly at his Pokémon the second the defeated challenger is out of sight.

The next few battles go the same way. Ash doesn't win all of them, of course – Lumiose is not meant to be an impossible Gym, after all; if the challenger is strong enough, that should be recognised – but he battles well enough that Clemont feels comfortable in leaving the Gym in the robot's care so that he can work on his inventions. That was the original point of all this, after all.

/\/\/\

"That was a great battle!" Ash tells his opponent. "I had fun! Your shared strong will showed through your attacks. Here's the Voltage Badge – you've earned it!"

"Thanks!" the other Trainer says, taking the badge from Ash's hand and showing it to his Pokémon. "Look at that, Delphox, we won a badge!"

The fire Pokémon lets out stream of fire in celebration. Unfortunately, it's still a little tired from the battle and its aim is off, sending the fire streaming towards Bonnie, who has come out onto the battlefield.

Bonnie hears someone yell 'Watch out!' as she stares wide eyed at the streak of fire barrelling towards her. "Ah!" she cries and shuts her eyes, throwing a hand up to try and block the flames in vain. When the expected blow doesn't come, she peeks wide-eyed over her arm to find Ash has dived in front of her to take the hit.

"Are you okay?" the robot demands. She nods, still wide-eyed.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" the Trainer cries in horror, running over. "Are you both alright?" Beside him, the Delphox also makes a distressed sounding apology, looking worried.

"It's okay, it was an accident. I'm sure Delphox is tired after that battle, right?" Bonnie says, smiling at the fire Pokémon.

"Just try to be more careful next time, alright?" Ash adds, receiving a frantic nod from both Trainer and Pokémon.

With a few more profuse apologies, the Trainer and his Delphox depart. Bonnie turns to Ash, ready with thanks, but is distracted when she sees the robot frowning at his arm. "What's wrong?" Grabbing Ash's hand, she pulls his arm down for a closer look. It doesn't move properly; peering closer, Bonnie can see that some of the metal has warped in the fire. "Oh no! You're hurt, why didn't you say?"

"It's nothing." Ash shrugs.

"You should get Clemont to fix it; he's probably up in his workshop making something now anyway," Bonnie says decisively. Almost on cue, there's an explosion somewhere above them that makes dust rain down from the ceiling of the Gym.

"What was that?!" Ash yelps in alarm, looking around wildly.

"Oh, one of Clemont's inventions probably just exploded," Bonnie says dismissively. "It happens a lot."

" _What_?!" Ash replies, incredulous at the nonchalant tone. A bit of fire won't hurt _him_ much, but surely a real human being caught in an explosion is incredibly dangerous? "Quick, we'd better go see if he's hurt!" He races off.

"Ah, wait for me!" Bonnie calls after him, following.

.

.

.

From his place of refuge on the floor, Clemont surveys the wreckage of what _was_ going to be his newest invention with a rueful sigh. He's trying to figure out exactly where he went wrong when the doors to his workshop fly open and Ash skids to a stop inside, looking around frantically. "Clemont!"

"Over here," Clemont replies automatically, still blinking in shock at the robot's unexpected appearance. "How did your Gym battle go?"

"It was fun, Magnemite did really well but we still lost in the – that's not the point! We heard an explosion! Are you alright?!" Ash bends forward, looking him over critically. Clemont leans back slightly, feeling uncomfortable under the close scrutiny.

"I'm fine, really," he assures the robot, who still manages to look unconvinced.

Bonnie chooses that moment to stick her head in the door, drawing everyone's attention (much to Clemont's relief). "See? I told you," she says to Ash. "His invention blew up, like always."

"Not everything I make blows up!" Clemont protests indignantly. Bonnie raises an eyebrow at him and he flaps a hand in Ash's direction for emphasis. Ash blinks and then looks towards the blackened bench of the workshop considering.

"You were making something?" Ash asks curiously.

Clemont scratches his head in embarrassment. "Yes, I wanted to make a machine to help with the cleaning. I clearly got something wrong though…"

"That's so cool!"

Clemont looks up at Ash in surprise at the sheer amount of _emotion_ in the robot's voice. Ash's eyes are glowing as he looks down at Clemont again. "You could really build something like that?"

"That's the idea," Clemont replies cautiously, starting to get to his feet. Ash may only be as tall as Clemont himself, but looking up at him from his seat on the floor is still starting to hurt Clemont's neck. A metal hand thrusts itself in front of his face, offering help. Clemont gladly accepts and lets Ash pull him to his feet, noting with satisfaction that the robot's balance and co-ordination remains steady. Ash is still only a week old, but he seems to be holding together well.

 _Speaking of..._ Clemont thinks, peering more closely at the robot's hand still in his grip. The metal panel of Ash's forearm is buckled and warped from some sort of fire damage. "Oh no, you're hurt!" he exclaims in dismay, examining the damage. "What happened?!"

"It's fine, it's not like it hurts…" Ash trails off as Clemont starts to rummage around on an undamaged workbench. Neither of the siblings appear to take any notice of his words.

"Ash blocked a fire attack from hitting me!" Bonnie informs her brother. "It wasn't Delphox's fault though…"

"What?!"

"Uh, guys…?" Ash tries again. "It's not that big a deal…?"

Clemont lets out an 'Aha!' as he unearths a screwdriver triumphantly and then hurries back over to Ash. "Could you sit down there and hold out your arm please? This should only take a few minutes to fix."

Ash takes a seat as instructed amongst the ruins of Clemont's attempted invention. Clemont sits opposite him and sets to work unscrewing the bolts holding the metal plate in place. "A fire attack, huh?" he muses absently as he works. "No wonder there's this amount of damage…" The inventor notes with relief that none of the wiring underneath seems like it has been damaged. Fixing this should be a simple task. _It would be good if Ash was resistant to fire though… that way this kind of damage won't be a problem in the future. Hrm…_

Mind whirling with possible ideas, Clemont almost misses it when his robot speaks up again. "You don't have to worry, really…"

"Don't be silly!" Bonnie jumps in. "Of course we're going to worry! My brother made you, so you're practically part of our family!"

"Family…" Ash repeats slowly.

Clemont looks up from his work on Ash's arm and smiles at the robot. "Bonnie's right. It's my job to look after you after all, especially if you get injured! Thank you for protecting Bonnie."

"Of course I'd protect her!" Ash replies instantly. "She's…" the robot hesitates, "'family' after all, right?"

The siblings exchange a surprised glance between them before beaming at him. "Right!" they reply in unison, looking pleased. Ash tilts his head slightly in confusion but his eyes glow softly.

With the bolts unscrewed and a little bit of effort, Clemont manages to lever off the damaged plate. He checks the wiring underneath – _as I thought, everything's fine, thank goodness!_ – and gets up to find a replacement piece. While he rummages around once again on his workbench, Ash takes the opportunity to look around properly.

"All of this is stuff you've made?" the robot asks. There's a note of awe in his voice.

"Hm? Ah, that's right, you probably haven't seen much of it before now. This is my workshop," Clemont explains, inspecting a piece of metal. _This should do nicely!_ He brings it back over to Ash, who is still looking around at the room. The robot's eyes are glowing again. _I wonder if that really is his way of smiling…?_

"My brother's inventions are really great! Even if they're always blowing up in the end," Bonnie adds, much to Clemont's embarrassment.

"Science is _so_ amazing!" Ash declares. The declaration brings a smile to Clemont's face as he starts to screw the new panel into place.

"Ever since I became Gym Leader, I haven't really had much time to work on my inventions because I was so busy," he tells Ash. "That's why I made you, to help me out at the Gym. You've been doing really well! Thank you for all your hard work."

"I should be thanking you!" Ash replies, making Clemont look up in surprise. "If you hadn't made me, I wouldn't be able to have such fun battling or meet new Pokémon!" The robot nods to emphasise his words.

Clemont smiles, looking down again. He still can't access the locked file in Ash's AI so he's no closer to understanding exactly how the robot manages to act so human, but Ash's enthusiasm is difficult _not_ to smile at. "There we go," he says with a pat to the new panel on Ash's arm. "All fixed!"

"Ah, thanks!" Ash says, holding his arm up and examining it. "Wow, it's as good as new!"

"Luckily there wasn't that much damage," Clemont says as he replaces his tools back on the workbench. "Still, please try to take better care of yourself."

"I will." Ash pauses for a moment. "…Is it okay if I come watch you work some time?"

"Huh?" Clemont is taken aback, not expecting such a request. He's so used to Bonnie's scepticism when it comes to his inventions that to have someone actively taking an interest – even if it was just the robot he'd built – was new. Still, Ash is starting to look disheartened by Clemont's lack of response, the glow in his eyes dimming, so Clemont finds himself blurting out "Sure, if you'd like to."

Ash instantly brightens. "Awesome! I'll come by when I'm not at the Gym!" the robot promises and Clemont smiles.

.

.

.

The days fall into a routine after that. On the days that Ash is in charge of taking Gym challenges, the robot spends most of his time down in the Gym, either battling Trainers or just playing with Clemont's Pokémon. The first time Clemont had come down on a break to see how Ash was doing, he'd been surprised to see his robot and his Pokémon laughing and chasing each other around. Clemont had spent a long time watching them all; this was after all yet another activity that he was sure he'd never programmed into Ash's code. The strange thing was, Ash's code seemed to be evolving every time he had a chance to look at it, much more than the simple learning system he'd programmed was capable of doing. He hadn't had much time to muse about it after that though, because Ash had spotted him in the stands and demanded he come down and play as well.

Still, Clemont finds himself stopping by the Gym every time he needs to stretch his legs. He knows Bonnie makes sure to watch all of the robot's Gym battles the way she always watched Clemont's own, because she and Ash usually end up recounting some of them over dinner.

When the Gym closes for the day, Ash makes good on his promise and comes to visit Clemont in his workshop. The robot is always curious and keeps up a continuous stream of questions about what Clemont is making or doing; he sounds so eager that Clemont can't help but oblige him with answers no matter how involved he is with his current project. He loves talking about science and his inventions and Ash never seems bored by any of his explanations. Of course, whether or not the robot actually understands anything Clemont explains is a different story, considering the usual response is just an enthusiastic 'Science is so amazing!', but Clemont doesn't mind either way.

It also makes it easier for Clemont to make various repairs and upgrades on his robot. They were usually hardware-only upgrades, because Clemont had learnt the hard way that Ash _really hated_ code upgrades after he spent an hour chasing the robot around Prism Tower before he gave up from exhaustion. But Ash was unfortunately a magnet for attracting trouble. After the Delphox incident, Clemont had spent time coming up with a way to make sure Ash wouldn't be hurt by fire attacks again. Or electrical attacks for that matter, after the time Ash tried to pat Magnemite on the head without considering first that metal scraping metal was not a pleasant sensation for anyone. Clemont had spent a full two days rewiring Ash's arm after that, Magnemite buzzing around Ash anxiously despite both Ash and Clemont's assurances that the robot was okay.

Yes, Clemont will admit it's definitely much less quiet and much less lonely in his workshop nowadays with Ash around.

Of course, that's not to say that Clemont neglects his duties as Gym Leader. He takes his responsibility seriously and so, more often than not, challengers still face him rather than Ash. Although Ash always seems disappointed about this – _but Clemont, I reeeeeally wanted to battle today!_ – his robot still comes to cheer Clemont on with Bonnie in every single one of his battles.

Sometimes when the Gym has closed, Clemont and Ash hold their own battles for training, although given they share Clemont's three Pokémon they can only ever have a one-on-one Pokémon battle. Clemont can see how Ash has been learning from all of his battles with the challengers to their Gym and getting stronger for it. However, that spark of unorthodox ingenuity from their first battle continues to shine brightly, pushing Clemont's limits further every time they battle. It's incredible and amazing and it still _makes no sense_ according to Ash's code. Clemont has never come across something like this, something that science cannot explain. It _should_ frustrate him, but instead both the inventor and the Gym Leader inside of him find it inspiring.

Other times, Ash insists that they train alongside their Pokémon as well and makes all of them – Clemont, his Pokémon, even Bonnie if she's around – run around the Gym a few times, much to Clemont's eternal dismay. Watching a robot and your younger sister overtake you easily on their third lap when you're only on your first isn't the best for one's self-esteem. Still, Clemont knows he could refuse – it's not like he _has_ to do all this unnecessary running – but as always Ash's enthusiasm is hard to ignore.

"Why – why are we – running?!" Clemont demands in between great huffs of air, hands on knees.

Ash calls back from the other side of the Gym. "A good Trainer doesn't just train his Pokémon, he's gotta train his body too!"

"You're a robot – you, you don't even – need to exercise!" Clemont wails, envious of the way neither Ash nor Bonnie seem to be out of breath. Well, not that Ash needs to breathe, but it's the principle of the thing. _Why did I agree to do this?_

Ash just laughs, jogging past him. "Ahaha, come on Clemont!"

"You're such a Slowbro!" Bonnie adds, skipping past. Magneton floats up beside Clemont, making a worried noise of inquiry. If only he could float around like the magnet Pokémon! Then he wouldn't have to worry about running…

Filing the idle thought away for further examination, Clemont just sighs and starts to jog slowly again, trying to ignore the way his legs feel like jelly. _Well, if it makes the two of them happy…_

/\/\/\

Still, one-on-one battles by themselves aren't really enough training, so one day Clemont heads out for almost the entire day and leaves Ash behind to deal with the Gym. Even with Bonnie's reassurances that her brother is (probably) fine, Ash remains worried throughout all of his Gym matches of the day. Clemont has never left the Tower for this long before; what if something happens to him?

So when a familiar blue-and-yellow figure finally walks back through the doors of the Gym, Ash hurries over and wraps his arms around him in a tight squeeze like he has seen Bonnie do before, drawing an ' _oof_ ' from the blond. Clemont flails in his grip for a few seconds, clearly taken aback. "Ash?! What are you doing?"

"Are you alright?" Ash asks, releasing Clemont and looking him over for injuries. Other than a few scuff marks over his clothes and his hair in disarray, the human seems okay. "You were gone all day!"

"Ah, I'm sorry." Clemont looks apologetic. "I didn't mean to worry you; I went out to find something." With a proud smile, he shows Ash the Pokéball in his hand. "I'd like you to meet the newest member of our team! Please come out, Bunnelby!"

A grey and brown Pokémon with large ears pops out of the Pokéball with a bounce. "Bunnelby!"

"Woah!" Ash exclaims, crouching down for a better look. "I've never seen that Pokémon!"

Bunnelby seems a bit thrown off by the appearance of a large metal human but doesn't move away, so Clemont introduces them. "Ash, this is Bunnelby; and Bunnelby, this is Ash. He helps me out at the Gym, so please listen to him too." Bunnelby looks up and nods agreement.

"Bun!"

"A Bunnelby, huh?" the robot asks, searching the Pokédex data stored in his memory banks and accessing the entry on Bunnelby: _Normal_ _Type. It has ears like shovels. Digging holes strengthens its ears so much that they can sever thick roots effortlessly._ "Your ears are really strong, huh? Ah, that's so cool!" Ash says to Bunnelby. "Pleased to meet you! I'm Ash."

"Bun!"

Clemont smiles as they shake hands, pleased at how well the two of them are getting along. It seems Ash's affinity for Pokémon extends beyond electric types. "We had an odd amount of Pokémon here at the Gym before, but with Bunnelby we can finally have two-on-two battles as well," he explains to Ash. "Plus, I figured you should have some practice outside of Gym matches at fighting a Pokémon that isn't an electric type."

Ash's eyes light up at the prospect of a battle. "Awesome!" he exclaims, jumping to his feet. "Let's battle then! Magneton!"

The magnet Pokémon floats over as Clemont grins, his glasses catching the light as he pushes them further up his nose. "Heh heh heh! I thought you might say that, so Bunnelby and I did some training before we returned. We don't intend to lose!"

"Bunnelby!" the Pokémon by his side adds in agreement.

Ash is already halfway back to the battlefield, Magneton at his side. "Neither do we!" he calls back over his shoulder.

"Good luck, both of you!" Bonnie calls, dashing over to the sidelines to watch in safety. Ash and Clemont take their places at either end of the battlefield, facing one another. Excitement is already fizzing along Clemont's veins.

"Go, Magneton!"

"Go, Bunnelby!"

/\/\/\

"So what do Pokémon Trainers actually _do_?" Ash asks later that evening, propping his head up on his hands. He's already seated at the dinner table with Bonnie, watching Clemont serve up dinner for himself and his sister. Beside the table, Bunnelby and the other Pokémon eagerly dig into their own dinner, enjoying a well-deserved break after their earlier battle. Although Ash doesn't need to eat, spending time with the siblings is always much more preferable to shutting down. This isn't the first time that Ash has stayed for dinner; it's reached the point that neither Clemont nor Bonnie seem to find his presence in their kitchen unusual anymore.

Ash's question, however, is unexpected enough that it makes Clemont pause while passing Bonnie her plate. "Pokémon Trainers…?" he repeats in surprise. _What an odd thing to ask._

"They're people who keep Pokémon and look after them!" Bonnie says happily, tugging her plate from Clemont's grip. "And they get to travel around with them on a Pokémon journey!" She grins at Ash, a wide smile that makes the robot wish he could return it.

Clemont recovers from his surprise and sits down. "Yes, that's about right," he confirms. "Most Trainers travel around the world, catching and training Pokémon and earning badges at Gyms like this one."

Clemont has been around Ash long enough now to interpret most of the robot's 'expressions'; if Ash were human, Clemont would be on the end of a wide-eyed look of surprise right now. "There are other Gyms?"

Clemont can't help but smile at the robot's surprise. "Yes, in other towns. They all have their own specialty – Lumiose is an Electric-type Gym – but there are Grass-type Gyms, Fire-type Gyms and so on."

"Awesome!"

"And when they earn eight badges in one region," Clemont continues, "they can compete in a big regional battle tournament. Here, it's called the Kalos Championship League. The winner gets a chance to face the Elite Four and the Champion – they're the best of the best at Pokémon battles," he adds, seeing Ash's blank confusion. _Did I really forget to add any of this into his knowledge database?_ the inventor wonders. He gets distracted by Bonnie though, who is trying to stealthily hide her carrots under a lettuce leaf while he talks. "Bonnie, you should try eating your carrots," he chides. Bonnie merely sticks her tongue out at her brother and continues ignoring the vegetable's existence. Clemont sighs.

"Wow, a battle tournament?!" Ash exclaims, apparently not noticing the siblings' behaviour. Clemont thinks that if it were possible for a robot to look starry-eyed, Ash would be doing it right now. Ash turns to him, head tilted in confusion. "Hey Clemont, why don't you do any of that? You're a Trainer, right?"

Clemont fiddles with his fork. "Yes, but I'm not really interested in collecting badges…"

"Ehhh? Why not?!" Ash cries in disbelief.

"Well, I'm a Gym Leader for one thing, so I couldn't anyway," Clemont explains. "But taking part in the League was never my goal; I took on the role of Gym Leader to help me master Electric-types of all regions. This is an Electric-type Gym, so naturally challengers will come prepared with strategies to counter that. If I can defeat them, then maybe I can grow as an Electric-type Trainer myself."

"They call my brother the Electric-type prodigy here in Lumiose!" Bonnie informs Ash proudly.

"Is that so? Good for you, Clemont!" Ash says, eyes aglow. Metal hands curl into determined fists. "We'll just have to make this Gym an awesome one so that lots of Trainers will want to come and battle and help you grow!"

 _You've helped me to grow too, Ash._ Clemont may have created Ash as a robot able to learn and grow, but it seemed that he himself was learning a lot from being around Ash as well. "Yeah!" he replies with an answering smile.

" _I'm_ gonna be a Trainer when I turn ten!" Bonnie declares. "I can't wait! I'll be able to keep my very own Pokémon!"

Clemont's smile softens; Bonnie has been looking forward to being able to look after her own Pokémon almost since she could walk. _Only a few more years, huh…_

Across the table, Ash manages to look wistful. "Ahh, that sounds so cool. I wish _I_ could go on a Pokémon journey and meet lots of new Pokémon…" He looks over to where Clemont's Pokémon are enjoying their dinner. "You guys would like that too, right?"

All of the Pokémon chorus a reply, making Ash laugh. "The outside world must be so exciting!" he comments, reaching out to scratch Bunnelby's head.

His words cause Clemont and Bonnie to both stop eating and exchange a startled glance. _Ash has never left the Tower_ , Clemont realises. _Of course, there's no reason for him to do so, but… I didn't know he wanted to._

 _We should do something,_ Bonnie mouths at him behind Ash's back. Clemont agrees with her – Ash's hard work deserves _something_ , at least – but what could they do?

Ash doesn't notice the pause in the siblings' eating, preoccupied as he is with Heliolisk coming over to demand some affection as well. Nor does he leave out Magnemite and Magneton, who are hovering nearby (they, too, remember Ash's disastrous attempts to pat them), handing out kind words of praise as easily as the pats he bestows upon Heliolisk and Bunnelby. Both Clemont and Bonnie huff in amusement as they watch Ash slide off his seat onto the floor to be immediately swarmed by the group of Pokémon.

The subject isn't broached again for the rest of the night, although it remains in the back of Clemont's mind. Unfortunately, Clemont gets distracted when Ash volunteers to help wash the dishes and then proceeds to fry the circuitry in his hand because it didn't occur to him that electricity and water don't mix. Clemont spends the next two days fixing Ash's hand and drawing up plans for waterproofing his robot.

He doesn't forget their conversation, though.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! :D_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

The next few days are a whirlwind of challengers and various other Gym obligations that only Clemont can take care of. However, today is _finally_ his day off and so once again he's up in his workshop, tinkering away at his latest device. Or at least he would have been, if he hadn't just tripped over some spare parts left carelessly on the floor and fallen flat on his face.

"Ouch…" Clemont pushes himself up from the floor into a sitting position. _I should probably clean up in here a bit_ , he thinks sheepishly, looking around at the cluttered room. Except the room is horribly blurred beyond recognition and Clemont realises with horror that his glasses are missing. "Ah!"

He misses the swish of the doors opening as he scrabbles frantically around on the ground – _Where are they?! I can't see a thing!_ – but there's no mistaking Ash's voice as the robot comes in, already talking. "Hey Clemont, just wait until I tell you about the battle I just –" There's a pause as Ash takes in the scene before him. "Hey, are you alright?"

Clemont throws a hand out in the direction of Ash's voice. "Please watch where you step!" he pleads. "I lost my glasses when I fell; they're around here somewhere but I can't see anything…"

"Oh, is that what those things do?" Ash comments, thankfully doing as Clemont had asked and staying put. "Hang on, I see them. Stay there and I'll get them for you."

"Thank you," Clemont sighs, sitting up again. He squints in vain at the grey blur that is probably Ash – it's the only smear of colour in his line of sight that is moving – as the robot comes over and crouches in front of him.

"Here you go."

Clemont reaches for his glasses, looking up automatically to thank the robot. Between one blink and the next, Ash's blurry features are no longer that of the robot Clemont knows so well, but a boy with messy black hair and warm brown eyes. Clemont stares, glasses forgotten. _Who is that?!_

The world snaps into focus abruptly and the boy's image disappears, leaving a concerned looking Ash in its place. Clemont blinks, confused, and reaches up to feel the familiar weight of his glasses sitting on his nose. Apparently, Ash had given up waiting for him to put them on himself.

"Is that better?" Ash asks, sitting back.

"Huh?" Clemont replies absently, still staring at the robot. _What in the world did I just see?_ "What? Oh, yes, much! Thank you very much!" He accepts the hand Ash offers him and lets the robot help pull him to his feet, still thinking furiously. _Was… was that Ash?_

Scientifically speaking, it couldn't have been – Ash is not and has never been human – but the strange thing was that the image _fit_. It matched Ash's voice and personality perfectly, and now that Clemont had seen it (or imagined it) he had the nagging feeling that the black-haired boy was exactly what Ash was meant to look like.

Ash's voice cuts into his thoughts. "There's a lot of stuff to fall over in here," the robot observes, pushing the parts that Clemont had tripped over earlier out of the way with a foot.

Clemont surveys the room once again, this time with perfectly clear vision, and winces at how cluttered everything has become. Leaving it like this is dangerous, especially if Bonnie happened to come in here. "Yes," he agrees aloud, crouching down to pick up the wrench he'd dropped earlier. "I'd better clean up…"

"I'll help!" Ash says enthusiastically, picking up a box. "Um… where does this go?"

Clemont laughs and directs Ash to one of the shelves along the sides before moving to clean up the workbench itself. They continue like this for a while, Ash humming while he moved stuff around and breaking off every so often to ask Clemont a question about where something went or what something did.

 _He already acts so much like a person_ , Clemont thinks, watching Ash moving boxes. _Maybe it would be good if he looked more like a person too? His current appearance is fine for the Gym, but if he wants to go outside… Looking human would make him stand out less too…_ Potential plans and designs were already devising themselves in his mind's eye; his fingers itched for a pencil to start drawing out schematics. This would be a good challenge of his skills as an inventor as well.

"Ah, it's sunset already!" Ash exclaims, pressing up against the giant windows that lined the workshop. Clemont sets down the box he's holding and stands beside him to peer out the window as well. Below them, the setting sun stains everything it touches a beautiful golden orange. Ash glances over at the inventor, his eyes glowing. "The city looks really beautiful like this, doesn't it?"

Clemont returns the grin, nodding agreement. As they continue to look out at the city below, Clemont makes up his mind. Maybe Ash can't go on a Pokémon Journey, but he can at least help him go outside. _The future is now, thanks to science! I'll do my best to give Ash the appearance he deserves!_

/\/\/\

It takes him a few days to draw up all of the schematics for Ash's new appearance; Clemont wants to make sure every detail is perfect. Although he finishes them in the morning, between challengers at the Gym and grocery shopping, it's not until they've said goodnight to Bonnie that both he and Ash are free.

Clemont is equal parts nervous and excited as he heads back towards the workshop with a curious Ash trailing behind. He hasn't actually told Ash about his idea yet and he doesn't know how the robot will react.

"Hey Clemont, aren't you going to bed? You haven't slept much the last few nights," Ash pipes up from behind him, following him into the workshop. "You won't be able to battle well if you're tired!"

Clemont chuckles nervously. "Well, there's something I wanted to show you first. Now, where did I put them…?" Clemont rummages through the cupboard where he'd hidden the schematics to avoid Ash seeing them before they were done. He pulls a few rolls of paper out and hands one to Ash with a bright smile. "Please take a look at this!"

"Hrm? What's this?" Ash asks as he unrolls the paper and squints at it. It's a plan for something, like the ones Clemont has shown him before of his other inventions. "Are you making something new?"

"Sort of… This is you," Clemont explains, his grip on the other rolls tightening. Honestly, he hasn't felt this nervous since he was making Ash the first time around!

"Me?" the robot repeats, sounding confused. He looks back down at the paper in his hands.

"Yes, it's a new design for you so that you can have a more human-like appearance," Clemont explains. "I thought it might suit you better…"

Ash continues to stare down at the paper without saying anything, and Clemont feels his excitement start to crumble. The robot's silence doesn't seem to bode well. "It's just an idea I had," he adds hastily, trying not to feel disappointed. "You don't have to –"

"Clemont," Ash interrupts. Clemont stops talking. The robot points at the diagrams. "You can make me look like this?"

The inventor ducks his head in embarrassment. "If you want?"

"Of course! That would be awesome!" The exclamation has Clemont's head snapping up in wide-eyed surprise. Ash is beaming at him, his eyes aglow. "Clemont, this is amazing! Science is incredible!"

Clemont squeaks in surprise when the robot envelops him in a hug, squeezing tightly. He flails for a few moments before giving in and hugging Ash back tentatively, his face pink with embarrassment and pleasure at the excited reaction. The hue only grows darker when Ash finally releases him and gives him a heartfelt thank you.

"So? When do we start?" Ash asks eagerly, drawing a laugh from Clemont.

"I want to go through it with you first," Clemont tells him, indicating the other rolls of paper still in his arms. "It's going to be your new body, after all, so please let me know if there's something you want to change."

"Alright! Let's go!"

Clemont doesn't make it to bed that night, too busy going through all the schematics he's drawn up and explaining them to the robot. The lack of sleep is worth it though, to see the grin lighting up Ash's eyes as the robot looks the designs over.

/\/\/\

"Time to wake up! Activate!"

He responds to Clemont's cheerful voice before he really thinks about it. "Mm, five more minutes, okay?"

"Aw, Ash, you don't even need to sleep! Hurry and get up already!" Bonnie complains. Ash laughs and sits up, blinking owlishly as his eyes adjust to the light in the room. He finds himself sitting in the middle of the raised platform in Clemont's workshop – exactly where he'd gone to sleep some time ago – with Clemont and Bonnie sitting either side of him.

"How is it? Do you feel okay?" Clemont asks anxiously.

"Yeah! I feel great!" Ash replies enthusiastically. He grins at Clemont and the blond's eyes go wide. Ash doesn't have time to think about Clemont's reaction though; something about his face feels really weird. He raises his hands to check his face. "Ah! My mouth actually moves!" Come to think of it, his sense of touch feels odd as well. Ash holds out his hands and grins in excitement. "And skin! Wow! Hey Bonnie, my hands look like yours now!" He matches his hand to hers, although her hands are dwarfed by his.

Bonnie giggles. "Ah! Your hands are warm." She looks over at her brother, eyes shining. "Wow, Clemont, you did an amazing job! He's just like a real person!"

Clemont beams back at her. "That's the idea!" He turns to Ash, who is still examining his fingers in fascination. "It's a form of rubber that acts like skin," he explains. "It should be good protection from water or electrical attacks as well. But it can still get damaged, so please take care!"

"I will!" Ash promises. The robot can't stop smiling, even if the gesture still feels odd to make. He's in the process of admiring his bare feet and wriggling his toes – _These are toes, right?_ – when Bonnie tugs on his sleeve.

"Come and look in the mirror!" she urges, pulling on his sleeve until he scoots to the edge of the platform. The cold floor bites at his bare feet and he yanks his feet back hurriedly from the sensation he's never experienced before.

"It's… cold?" he complains hesitantly when the two look at him questioningly. "I don't think I like it."

Clemont tries his hardest to suppress a laugh at the bewildered look on Ash's face. His robot had always worn his figurative heart on his sleeve, but Ash's feelings were a hundred times easier to read with his new face. "Your feet will acclimatise after a bit," Clemont encourages, holding out a hand. "I'll help you."

Ash sighs, putting his feet down with a small wince and grasping Clemont's hand. Clemont is pleased to note that Bonnie was right; it seems the heating system is working well. He helps Ash to his feet, catching the robot hurriedly when he almost falls over straight away.

"Sorry, my bad," Ash says sheepishly. "My weight and balance are different from before."

"I'll help you too!" Bonnie declares, latching onto his other hand. "This way, this way!"

Bonnie tugs him over to the mirror propped up against the wall that she had pointed out earlier, her brother hovering behind them both and putting a supporting hand to Ash's back every time it looked like the robot was about to lose his balance again. Eventually, though, they make their way over to the mirror and Ash finally gets to see what his new form looks like.

"Whoa!" Bonnie was right! "I really _do_ look like a real person!" _Science is amazing!_

Clemont has done an incredible job in translating blueprints into reality. Ash is the very picture of a boy with short, messy black hair that's soft to the touch and he spends a mesmerised minute running his hands through it. Bonnie giggles when he runs a hand through her hair and a surprised Clemont's for comparison and finds his own hair is thicker than theirs.

The robot leans in towards the mirror with fascination, hands splayed against the glass. The glass is cool against his skin as well, although not as unpleasant as the floor had been (at least Clemont was right about his feet adjusting to it) but nothing like the warmth that Bonnie and Clemont seemed to radiate naturally. Brown eyes blink back at him, so different to the blue hue that Clemont and Bonnie share. Ash had been inclined to blue as well – it was a family trait, right? – until Clemont had convinced him to stick with brown, citing the fact that their own father had brown eyes.

"I had to take some of your functionality out, so there are some things you can't do anymore," Clemont says regretfully as Ash leans back again, twisting around to see what the back half of him looks like. Ash stops mid-twist, looking at Clemont curiously. The inventor elaborates. "You can't transform your hands anymore, so you can't launch Pokéballs or generate electricity now."

"Wait, I could generate electricity before?!" Ash says in surprise. "That would have been so cool! Why didn't you tell me I could do that?"

"Why would he even need that?!" Bonnie asks in exasperation at almost the exact same moment.

"I thought it would come in handy some time…?" Clemont replies sheepishly.

Ash laughs as Bonnie shoots her brother an unimpressed look, turning back to the mirror. "Ah well. As for the other stuff, that's fine. Throwing Pokéballs is more fun anyway!" He stops for a moment and tilts his head to the side, frowning like he's just noticed something amiss. "My code feels kinda different too?"

"Ah!" Clemont starts; he'd almost forgotten. "Yes, I had to write some new functionalities and there were some parts of the original code that were messy, so I rewrote those parts to make them more efficient…" He trails off, unsure of how Ash will react. "I'm very sorry, I know how much you hate getting software upgrades," he adds apologetically. Even though he knows it was necessary, Clemont still feels bad that he'd had to do it when he knows how much Ash doesn't like it.

Clemont can't see Ash's face, but the robot's shoulders are trembling and his fists clenched. _Oh no!_ Clemont thinks, feeling sick with worry. _I've hurt him, I shouldn't have –_

He reaches out to Ash timidly. "Ash – ?"

"Ahh this is _so cool_!" Ash burst out, throwing his arms up in excitement. He rounds on Clemont, face lit up in pure joy and throws his arms around him, trapping the startled blond in a tight hug. "Thank you so much for doing all of this for me!"

Clemont is frozen for a few moments, completely taken aback – he was expecting Ash to yell at him, not _this_ – before Ash's words filter through his shock. He relaxes, arms coming up to return the hug just as tightly. This isn't the first time Ash has hugged him, but it's the first time he's done it in human form.

Ash draws back to look him in the eye, his hands on Clemont's shoulders. The robot is still grinning widely, the same bright grin that had given Clemont pause the first time he'd seen it. "Thank you," the robot tells him sincerely. "I don't understand much of how you did it, but I know it was a lot of work, so thank you."

"Ah, it's alright, I wanted to do it," Clemont replies, blushing slightly at the sincerity being directed at him. It still amazes him just how perfectly Ash's face now matches the one he thought he saw when he lost his glasses, almost as though this is how the robot was meant to look all along.

"Me too, me too!" Bonnie exclaims beside them. "I want a hug too!"

Ash laughs. "Alright then." He releases Clemont and kneels down. The second Ash is within reach, Bonnie launches herself at him, grabbing onto the robot in a fierce hug which the robot returns. Clemont grins at the two of them, worry dissolving completely into happiness.

It seems that upgrading the code isn't going to be an issue, something that brings Clemont great relief. He'd been a little worried that upgrading the code would somehow mess with Ash's personality, but the robot seemed as enthusiastic as ever. Clemont had tried taking another look at the mysterious locked file while he'd been doing the upgrades, but given that the inventor could still not figure out the voice code he'd been unable to access it. Still, Clemont was almost positive that whatever secrets lay behind Ash's…well, _Ash-ness_ , it was locked away safely in that file and in a way, that was good. If Clemont couldn't access it, nothing else could.

 _Heliolisk, Bunnelby, Magneton and Magnetmite need to meet Ash again before the next Gym match as well, since he looks so different now,_ he muses absently, watching Ash and Bonnie talk. Ash would be excited to finally be able to pat Clemont's two magnet Pokémon without causing or incurring injury for once. The thought makes Clemont smile.

"Alright! I feel great!" Ash announces, standing back up and stretching. "Are there any challengers waiting to battle?"

"Wait a minute!" Clemont holds out a hand. "I want to do a check-up to make sure everything is working properly now that you're awake again."

Ash slumps. "Awww, but Clemont! I feel so full of energy, I want to battle!"

"We can have a Pokémon battle later, if you want," Clemont offers. "But it's more important now to make sure that you're in good health and that everything is working the way it should. Besides, I closed the Gym for today, so there won't be any challengers today at least."

"Closed?!" Ash repeats incredulously. Since the first time he woke up, the Lumiose Gym has _never_ been closed.

"Like I said, this – _you_ – are important," Clemont says firmly. "I want to make sure everything's alright." His serious expression softens at the surprise on Ash's face. "Besides, we could both use a day off. The Gym will be open again tomorrow, so there will be plenty of challengers then."

"I guess you're right," Ash concedes. He looks around. "What do you want me to do?"

"Umm." Clemont puts a fist to his chin, thinking. "Okay. Firstly, let's test if you've got your balance back yet. Can you walk over to the door there and back please?"

There's a few wobbles along the way, but Ash manages it; he does an even better job the second time around, much to Clemont's relief. Ash does everything that Clemont asks him to do, as the inventor checks reactions and tests co-ordination.

"How long was I asleep?" Ash asks curiously, as Clemont checks that the joints in his hands are moving correctly. The workshop has no calendars and he hasn't been able to find a clock to match his internal clock to. Clemont is intent on his task with his tongue poking out in concentration, so it's Bonnie who answers the question from her seat beside Ash.

"It's been a couple of days," she tells him. "It took a bit longer than Clemont thought it would, because with you asleep he had to deal with the Gym challenges as well."

"I can close the Gym for a day, but unfortunately not three in a row," Clemont adds. "So I could really only work at night and in the early mornings. Can you move your arm like this please?"

Ash does as instructed, peering at Clemont suspiciously. "Have you been sleeping at all?" When Clemont doesn't answer and busies himself with finding something in a toolbox, pointedly not meeting Ash's eyes, the robot _hmphs_. "You need to sleep!" Ash admonishes. "You're important too, you know. If I sleep for a few extra days or whatever, that's fine with me if it means you're looking after yourself too."

Clemont huffs, a rueful smile on his face when he finally looks up at Ash. "Alright, I understand."

"Good," Ash nods. "If everything's okay with me, I'll take the Gym tomorrow and _you_ can rest, alright?"

"I will," Clemont promises. To be honest, Clemont's not even sure he could have slept more than the few hours he had stolen here and there, too wound up with adrenaline and excitement in making sure everything worked. Still, he knows that Ash will make sure he sticks to that promise.

"It's been really quiet and unlively without you here, Ash," Bonnie comments. "We both really missed you!"

Clemont nods agreement, although he keeps the extent of those feelings to himself. Even in just a few short months, the robot has managed to become an important part of their lives here in the Gym; without him, the tower seems too quiet and empty. Both of them had felt that void where Ash should have been and neither of them had liked it.

 _At least he's awake now,_ Clemont thinks in relief, and starts when Ash unknowingly echoes his thoughts aloud as the robot rests a hand on Bonnie's head. "Don't worry Bonnie, I'm awake now! And I won't be going away again any time soon."

"You'd better not!" Bonnie looks mollified by Ash's answer, though.

Satisfied that everything is in order, Clemont steps back. "Well, there's a few minor things that I should probably fix, but I can do that later. Other than that, everything is fine."

"Awesome!" Ash replies cheerfully. He tugs on the cuff of his sleeve – wearing clothes for the first time feels _weird_ but apparently going around without them would be even weirder now, according to Clemont – and notices the design on the front of the grey hoodie he's wearing. "Oh hey, the Voltage Badge!" he says enthusiastically, pulling out the bottom of the hoodie for a better look. "Cool!"

"You're the same size as me, so I lent you some of my clothes," Clemont explains bashfully. "You should probably get some ones you'd prefer though."

"Does that mean we can take Ash shopping for new clothes?!" Bonnie says excitedly. "Since the Gym is closed for the day?"

Clemont looks amused. "Only if Ash wants to go, Bonnie."

Bonnie looks up at Ash, pleading. "Ash? Please?"

"I like these clothes, though…" Ash says, uncertain. He's proud to wear the symbol of Lumiose Gym; he's one of its Gym Leaders, after all. Also, these clothes feel special, since they're Clemont's own clothes that he has given to Ash to wear. On the other hand, it might be fun to choose his own outfit…

"But Ash, there aren't any shops in this Tower, so we'd get to go outside to look for something for you!" Bonnie cajoles.

"Outside…?" Ash repeats. Clemont watches the robot think this over, knowing that Bonnie has pulled the ultimate trump card. After all, one of the main reasons for Ash's redesign was so that he could go outside the tower without drawing attention. He and Bonnie share a conspiratorial smile.

Sure enough, no-one is surprised when Ash's face lights up in pure excitement. "Yeah! Let's go shopping then!"

"Yay!" Bonnie cheers, grabbing both their hands. "Come on, you two!"

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi all!_

 _Some of the dialogue in this chapter (and in other places in the fic overall) comes from the anime sub/dub and the movies, seeing as this is meant to be an alternate start to the XY series... so if it seems familiar, that's why :)_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 4_**

 _I know that part of the reasoning behind making Ash look human was so that he wouldn't draw so much attention as a robot walking around,_ Clemont thinks, Bonnie's hand in his as they trail after an excited Ash. _But his enthusiasm is drawing lots of attention anyway…_

Still, he can't help but grin at how transparently happy and excited Ash is at finally being outside. To be honest, Clemont has no idea why Ash hasn't been outside before this – he's never told the robot that he couldn't – but he suspects it might be the fact that Ash was created to stand in for him at the Gym. There's never been any real reason for Ash to go outside.

"Look, Clemont!" Ash calls from up ahead, waving an arm at them. "I've never seen this Pokémon before! Isn't it cool?!"

The robot is already running off to look at something else before Clemont can raise a hand to wave back, let alone reply. "He seems really happy!" Bonnie laughs beside him, the two of them watching Ash flail excitedly over his newest discovery. "I'm glad he finally got to come outside."

"Yeah, me too," Clemont replies with a smile. At this rate, it's going to take them half the day just to reach a department store, but he can't find it in him to curtail Ash's fun. For now, he's happy just to wander slowly behind the enthusiastic robot and follow wherever Ash wants to explore.

"You did a really good job, Clemont!" Bonnie beams up at him. "It's kinda hard to tell now that Ash is actually a robot, isn't it?"

Clemont laughs. "You're right there!" _Not that he's ever acted like one!_ He looks up and feels panic set in when he can't see the robot anywhere. "Huh? Where'd he –"

"Ah! Clemont!" Bonnie exclaims in worry, pulling on his hand. He spins around to look where she's pointing. The split second of relief at seeing Ash – _thank goodness we didn't lose him in this crowd!_ – gives way to alarm again when he realises how precariously balanced the robot is as he leans over a railing to look at something in the canal below.

"Whoa!"

He dashes over, arriving just as Ash loses to gravity and starts to fall over the side. Clemont grabs onto him, mentally bemoaning the fact that he hadn't brought his Aipom Arm with him on this outing. Ash may look more like a human now, but he still has a skeleton of metal and he is _heavy._

Somehow, Clemont manages to drag Ash back over the railing and they collapse to the ground just as Bonnie reaches them. "Are you two okay?!"

"I'm okay… somehow…" Clemont gasps, pulling himself up into a sitting position.

"Same here." Ash says with a laugh, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Clemont, thanks for saving me!"

"No problem…" Clemont replies weakly. He stays sitting on the ground as Ash gets to his feet beside him, still feeling exhausted by the effort of dragging Ash back to safety. _Maybe I should see if I can make him more lightweight…_

Ash glances over the railing again, but stays firmly on the right side this time. "I thought I saw some Pokémon swimming in the water," he explains, sounding disappointed. "Not many Trainers bring water Pokémon into the Gym, so I wanted to get a better look…"

"Water Pokémon?" Bonnie repeats, peering down as well. "Aw, they swum away…"

Ash offers Clemont a hand up, which the inventor gladly takes. He doesn't pull Clemont up right away though, staring at something in the distance. "That's Prism Tower, right? Where the Gym is?" the robot asks, pointing behind Clemont. He twists around; sure enough, Prism Tower rises to the sky some distance behind them.

"Yep!" Bonnie replies for him. "That's our home!"

Ash makes a noise of amazement as he pulls Clemont to his feet effortlessly. "Wow, it's so tall!" he comments. "It's just as pretty from down here as the city is from up there."

"You haven't explored the Tower much either, have you?" Clemont asks curiously, brushing dirt off his pants. "Have you ever been to the observation level at the top?" He has a suspicion that Ash hasn't really ventured much beyond the levels that house the Gym and his apartment; Ash confirms his hunch when he shakes his head. "We'll have to show you that too then."

"You can see the whoooooooooole city from up there!" Bonnie adds, throwing her hands out for emphasis.

"Huh, is that so? I definitely wanna see it then!" Ash replies with a smile. They start walking again; maybe the almost-fall has calmed Ash down a bit, because he sticks with the two siblings this time around and doesn't dash off to look at whatever catches his attention. "Hey, Clemont," Ash says suddenly as they wander down the street. "I meant to ask before, but… this is the first time I've seen you wear something different. Mine's the Voltage Badge, but what's yours?"

Clemont chuckles sheepishly, looking down at his outfit. Although it was highly unlikely anyone would recognise him as Lumiose's Gym Leader even in his usual outfit, to avoid taking chances he had swapped his usual jumpsuit for an outfit similar to Ash's: pants and a comfy hoodie. "Ah, this is from the academy I studied at. My dad bought it for me when I graduated." He smiles fondly at the design, a wave of nostalgia washing over him.

"Woah, you've graduated already?!" Ash exclaims, reeling in shock.

"Of course! My brother's a genius, you know!" Bonnie replies loftily, before Clemont can say anything.

"Yeah, I'll say!" Ash says, sounding impressed. "Wow, I had no idea. That's great, Clemont!"

Clemont ducks his head, embarrassed by all the praise. "Aha, well, it was pretty hard…"

"Ah!" Bonnie says suddenly. She turns to Clemont. "Why don't you show him the system you made for your final research project?"

"Huh?" Clemont replies blankly, but Ash brightens, looking interested.

"Ah, is it another invention?! I wanna see!"

Clemont laughs at the robot's enthusiasm, unable to refuse the request. He looks around to see where they are. "Um, let's see, the nearest one from here would be… over there." Clemont points towards a nearby street and Bonnie dashes ahead of them to check as he and Ash start to walk.

"I've found it!" Bonnie calls, waving at them from the corner. "That's it, right, Clemont?" she asks excitedly when Clemont and Ash catch up to her. She points to two cylindrical booths up ahead with blue roofs and a lightning bolt painted on them.

"Yes, that's it," Clemont agrees. Ash takes a closer look at the structures. _So this is something Clemont invented when he was younger…_ To Ash's confusion neither booth has a door, nor is there anything inside despite being big enough for a person to fit inside.

 _Or a Pokémon_ , Ash realises suddenly when a Mareep jumps into the booth in front of them. All at once, electricity pours from the walls, covering the Mareep completely. "Woah!" he exclaims, startled. The Pokémon seems to greatly enjoy bathing in the electricity. When the lightning dies down, the Mareep jumps out of the booth and trots back to its Trainer who is waiting patiently to the side.

"How was that, Mareep? Do you feel better?" he hears the Trainer ask as they walk away. Mareep lets out a happy-sounding cry.

"It's called a 'Clemontic Shower'. It's an electric shower for Electric-types, so they can recharge their energy," Clemont explains to a fascinated Ash. "They were a big success in the town where my academy was, so they were installed here as well."

"Awesome!" Ash's impressed tone has pride and embarrassment rising in equal measures in Clemont's chest. He bashfully scratches a cheek with a finger, unsure of how to answer, and tries not to blush. However, all thoughts are driven from his mind when a voice calls out from behind:

"Ah, if it isn't Clemont and Bonnie!"

Clemont and Bonnie both jump in surprise and spin around instantly to face the new arrival. Ash turns as well, curious to see who else might know the two siblings. The speaker appears to be a large, brown-haired man in a cap and overalls who is climbing off a motor scooter. A large yellow Pokémon ( _Ampharos_ , _an Electric type_ , Ash's database tells him) jumps down off the scooter as well.

"Papa!"

"Ampharos!"

Ash looks in shock at the two beside him. "'Papa'?!" _This is Clemont and Bonnie's dad?_

"Yo!" the man says cheerfully with a wave. Ash hangs back, unsure as Clemont and Bonnie hurry over to greet their father. Clemont, stepping back from the hug notices the uncharacteristic shyness. It makes sense, considering Ash has never met their father in all the time he's been awake. He waves the robot closer.

"Um, let me introduce you," he starts to say, but Bonnie jumps in before he can finish.

"This is our Papa!" she announces proudly, holding her hands up as though to say ' _ta-daa_ '.

"I'm Meyer," their father adds with a smile. "I run an electronics store in this city together with Ampharos here." He places a hand on the Pokémon's back, who waves and trills a 'Ryuu!' in greeting.

"Wow, you and Ampharos, huh?" Ash replies with a grin. "Cool!" He waves back to the electric Pokémon, much to the amusement of the three humans.

Bonnie suddenly darts from her father's side to stand in front of Ash. "This is our new friend, Ash!" she tells Meyer, just as proudly as she had introduced him earlier.

"What?!" exclaims Meyer, drawing back. Ash takes a step back as the man starts shaking with emotion, looking to Clemont for guidance. Clemont can't help him though; even he can't tell if it's anger or tears until their father bursts out with, "I'm so happy, Clemont, Bonnie!" He sweeps his two children up into a hug, tears of happiness streaming down his face.

"I'm Ash," the robot introduces himself. "Pleased to meet you! Clemont and Bonnie's family is my family too!"

"Oh ho, nicely said!" Meyer says, perking up as he finally releases his children. A speculative gleam enters his eyes. "You have an interesting accent, where are you from?"

Alarm bells go off in Clemont's mind as he exchanges a panicked glance with Bonnie. _Ah, I can't tell him Ash is just a robot I made!_ _Not when he thinks we've managed to make a new friend on our own!_ Well, they _had_ managed to 'make' a new friend, but not at all in the way their father meant! "Um!" he speaks up before Ash can reply. Desperation born of panic brings a sudden flash of inspiration. "Ash is from another region!"

"He's from Kanto!" Bonnie pipes up, seeing a Bulbasaur across the street. Kanto was far enough away, right?

Luckily, Ash seems to catch onto their plan and follows their lead, although he shoots them both a confused look. "Yeah, I'm from Pallet Town, in the Kanto region," the robot tells Meyer.

Meyer nods sagely. "Oh, is that so! You've certainly come a long way then."

Deciding to change the topic before they have to think up any more lies – he already feels awful for lying to his father – Clemont adds, "Ash has been helping me out at the Gym lately, because it's been so busy."

Their father looks teary-eyed again. "Good for you, having such a good friend to help you out!" he says, voice choked with emotion. Ash looks a bit worried; Clemont is about to reassure him that this isn't uncommon behaviour when Meyer focuses on him. "But Clemont, you should come home every now and then since you have someone to cover the Gym for you!" Ampharos makes a sound of agreement behind him.

"Ah –" Clemont doesn't know how to answer that. Truth be told, he really _should_ visit home more, especially now that he's not as busy as he used to be. But he's reluctant to leave Ash by himself in the Tower; not that Ash is incapable of running the Gym by himself – far from it – but the robot had been so incredibly worried that time when Clemont had been gone for the whole day that he felt bad about ever doing it again.

"I have an idea!" Meyer says brightly, apparently not noticing Clemont's apprehension. He claps his hands together. "Why don't we all have lunch together today?"

 _Ah! He'll figure everything out since Ash doesn't eat!_

"That sounds –"

"– great," Clemont cuts in before Ash can accept the invitation. "But we've, uh –"

"– got stuff to do, so bye-bye!" Bonnie finishes for him, grabbing Clemont's hand and towing him over towards Ash. The robot directs a questioning look Clemont's way, but luckily says nothing as he takes Bonnie's offered hand when she reaches him.

"Ah, wait!" Meyer calls after them. Clemont and Bonnie both stumble to a stop and turn around cautiously. "Keep up the good work at the Gym, Clemont. I'm counting on you – the Gym Leader of the Lumiose Gym is the pride of our city."

Clemont can see Ash grin at him proudly out of the corner of his eye and ducks his head in embarrassment at the praise. "Thanks, Papa."

With a wave, Meyer climbs back onto his motor scooter, buckling his helmet into place. "Ash, please take care of these two," he says as Ampharos hops up onto the seat behind him, already wearing its helmet. "Drop by my shop sometime, won't you?" He waves as he drives off, Ampharos trilling a farewell as well.

Clemont and Bonnie wave until their father disappears down the street, before promptly slumping and sighing heavily with relief. _Thank goodness, he didn't try to press it further,_ Clemont thinks, straightening and adjusting his glasses.

"Your dad seems like a nice guy!" Ash comments. "What was all that about? You guys were acting really weird."

"Ah –" Clemont rubs the back of his head sheepishly, exchanging a look with Bonnie. "We just thought it might be better if he thinks you're a human rather than a robot?"

"Oh, okay, that makes sense," Ash replies, confused expression clearing. "So… Ash from Pallet Town, in the Kanto region." The robot nods to himself. "I like it!"

"Sorry, but… why Pallet Town?" Clemont asks curiously. He's surprised that Ash actually knows _any_ towns in the Kanto region, even a famous one like the town where the reknown Professor Oak lives.

"'Cause that's where Trainers begin their journey in Kanto!" Ash grins brightly. "Of course I'd start there!"

"I see…" Clemont replies, feeling a bit troubled but unable to pinpoint exactly why this feels like a premonition. Before he can muse on it further however, Bonnie grabs both of their hands and tugs.

"Come on! We've got shopping to do!"

/\/\/\

Finding a shop that sells clothes isn't too hard in Lumiose City. Finding a shop that sells clothes that Ash likes isn't too hard either. Finding clothes that Ash likes _and_ don't look like a fashion disaster, however…

Clemont has to admit that he's fascinated by the robot's choices; a fascination which has the added bonus of staving off boredom. _Maybe there's something wrong with his perception of colour?_ Clemont wonders idly, watching Bonnie finally give up waiting for Ash to pick a decent combination on his own. _I'll check it next time I have to do a tune-up. It doesn't seem to have handicapped him in any other way, if that's what's wrong._

Bonnie flops onto the chair beside him, having just ushered Ash back inside the change room with a bundle of clothes she'd helped him pick out. "Geez, he's like a Pokémon that only likes flashy colours!" she sighs. "Although considering who programmed him in the first place, maybe I shouldn't be surprised…"

"My colour co-ordination is fine!" Clemont protests, stung. Bonnie ignores him. "Sometimes I wonder if Pokémon and battling are really the only things he thinks about," she says thoughtfully.

Clemont sighs. "Honestly, I sometimes wonder the same thing."

The click of the change room door announces Ash's imminent arrival and they drop the conversation in favour of waiting expectantly for him to emerge. When he comes out, the robot spins around and strikes a pose. "How's this?"

"Ah! That really suits you, Ash!" Bonnie says happily, clapping her hands together.

"Oh, really?" Ash asks in surprise. He looks down at his new outfit, considering. "What do you think, Clemont?" he asks, wanting a second opinion.

The clothes Bonnie has picked out for Ash are simple but comfortable: grey pants, black undershirt with a blue and white short-sleeved shirt over the top, red fingerless gloves and sneakers. It's completely different to either Bonnie's or his own style of dressing, but just as Ash's new face fits his personality perfectly, so does this new outfit.

"I like it," he tells Ash, who grins.

"Haha, two for two! Alright, I'll get this then. Thanks for helping me pick something, Bonnie!" Ash says brightly, disappearing for a second to gather up the clothes he had been wearing earlier.

"You're welcome!" Bonnie replies, cheerful at having successfully completed their goal.

They head to the counter to pay. All the way there though Ash still looks pensive. "Is something wrong?" Clemont asks in concern, but Ash just shakes his head, crossing his arms with a ' _hrm_ '.

"Something just feels missing…" the robot muses. He spots something just behind Clemont and brightens, leaning over Clemont's shoulder to snatch something off a shelf. 'Something' turns out to be a red and white hat, which Ash immediately jams on his head. "There we go! What do you think?"

"I think it suits you," Clemont tells him honestly. Ash looks pleased at that answer and adjusts the hat's brim before jogging off towards Bonnie. Clemont pays – it's not like Ash has any money, after all, and the stipend for Gym Leaders that Clemont receives from the Pokémon Association is more than enough to cover this. Thanking the lady at the cash register when the transaction is finished, Clemont looks around for Ash and his sister and smiles when he spots Ash proudly showing off the newest addition to his outfit to Bonnie.

When he joins them, both of them look at him expectantly. "What now?" Ash asks.

Clemont thinks this over. They've achieved what they originally set out to do – find Ash some new clothes – but there's still hours of daylight left. It's still a beautiful sunny day when he glances up through the glass ceiling; it seems such a shame to spend it inside a shopping mall. "Why don't we walk around outside?" he suggests. _This way Ash can see a little more of the city too._ Clemont's suggestion is met with twin noises of approval and excited faces – _they're like two peas in a pod!_ he thinks in amusement – and they head off to find an exit.

.

.

.

They wander around the city with no particular route or destination in mind. Clemont just strolls along as Ash and Bonnie race ahead to look at something that catches their attention, but there are times when Ash or his sister are content to walk with him as the other takes a closer look at something.

All three of them are walking together when Bonnie spots something and tugs on Clemont's sleeve. "Clemont, Clemont, look! I want some ice-cream!" she says, pointing to a nearby ice-cream vendor.

"It's almost lunchtime, though," he replies, hesitant. "You'll spoil your appetite."

Bonnie pouts. "It'll be fine! Please, Clemont?"

She looks hopefully up at him and Clemont can feel his resolve crumble. "Alright," he concedes reluctantly, raising a cheer from Bonnie as she bounds over to the vendor's stall.

"We'd like some ice-cream, please!" she tells the man behind the counter.

Through some kind of miscommunication, they end up with three ice-creams so Ash ends up holding onto one even though he can't eat it. Clemont thinks Ash looks a little wistful about it – like the robot wishes he _could_ taste it – but Ash still offers to 'share' it with Bonnie and Clemont without hesitation.

"Hey, Clemont… what's a 'friend'?" Ash asks out of the blue as they walk along.

Caught off guard by the unexpected question in the middle of trying to stop his ice-cream from dripping over his hand, Clemont can only reply "What?"

Luckily, Ash elaborates before Clemont becomes more confused. "When we were talking to your Dad just now, Bonnie said I was your new 'friend'... but I don't know what that means," the robot explains sheepishly. "Is it some kind of new Pokémon?"

Bonnie laughs. "No, silly! Friends are people who really like to play with you and talk with you!"

"People that you know and trust," Clemont offers.

"They help you and you help them," Bonnie adds brightly, turning to smile up at him before taking a big lick of her ice-cream. Clemont nods.

"It's good for everybody involved," the inventor finishes, looking towards Ash to see if the explanation has made any sense to him. Ash looks thoughtful.

"So… friends are different to family?" the robot asks slowly, brows furrowed.

"In a way, yes," Clemont concedes. "Family is generally people who you have bonds with through blood or marriage; friends are people you create bonds with."

He gets a blank look from the robot. "Sorry, I don't get it," Ash admits sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Clemont _hrms_ as he tries to think of a better way of phrasing it.

"Family aren't always your friends, but friends are always your family?" Bonnie tries, but Ash just looks even more confused at _that_ statement.

"But you and Clemont get along so well…" he protests.

"That's 'cause Clemont and I are friends as well as family!" Bonnie says proudly, linking her free arm with her brother's. "Right, Clemont?"

"Right!" he agrees. Ash nods but still looks a little uncertain. Clemont wracks his brains. "Aha! I've got it!" he says finally, brightening. "Friends are like family that you can choose!"

"Ohhhhh!" Ash exclaims, eyes lighting up with understanding. "So we're both, right? Friends _and_ family?"

"Of course!" the two siblings chorus immediately in perfect unison. Ash starts laughing, secretly pleased at the emphatic reply. Clemont and Bonnie look from Ash to each other and start to laugh too.

The trio end up wandering through one of Lumiose's many garden parks as they enjoy the cold treats. Flowers of every colour and shape imaginable are blooming all around the pathways, drawing looks of awe from all three.

"The flowers are so pretty!" Bonnie exclaims in happiness.

"Yes, they are quite beautiful," Clemont agrees, adjusting his glasses for a better look.

Ash _mmm_ s in agreement, almost immediately followed by a noise of alarm upon realising that his ice-cream is, in fact, melting all over his fingers. "Ack!" He switches the cone to his other hand and grimaces at now-sticky fingers. Unable to follow Bonnie and Clemont's lead and simply lick the ice-cream off his fingers, Ash opts instead to wipe them on his new clothes – or at least, he intends to, right up until the image of a dismayed Clemont pops into his mind's eye and wipes them on the grass instead.

The robot doesn't notice that the ice-cream cone in his other hand is getting lighter and lighter until he looks up and sees a foot-high yellow Pokémon happily munching away at the cone in his hand. "Ah!" Ash cries, falling backward in surprise. The Pokémon jumps back as well and lands on all fours, tail raised and long ears twitching as it eyes Ash suspiciously.

"Ash, are you alright?" Clemont cries in alarm, hurrying over.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It just startled me, that's all," Ash says, sitting up and rubbing his back.

"Clemont! Look, it's a Pikachu!" Bonnie says in delight, coming up beside her brother. "I've never seen a Pikachu this close before! It's so cute!" She's starry-eyed at the sight of the small electric-type and goes to move closer when Clemont holds out a hand, silently telling her to stay back.

"Be careful, it looks like it's on guard," Clemont warns the robot in front of him, who looks back at the Pokémon. _A Pikachu, huh?_ Ash thinks, checking to see what his internal Pokédex has to say about the newcomer.

 _ **Pikachu**_ _, the Electric Mouse Pokémon. It raises its tail to check its surroundings. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the small electric sacs on both its cheeks._

 _Electric charges, huh? I guess that's why Clemont said to be careful._ "You just wanted to eat some ice-cream, right?" Ash asks the Pikachu in a friendly tone. He holds out the remains of the ice-cream cone. "Here, you can have it."

The Pikachu eyes him a moment or two longer before it darts in suddenly and snatches the cone from his hand. "Pikachuuuuu," it says happily, munching away. Ash smiles.

"It tastes good, right?" he asks, propping his chin on a hand. The Pikachu gives an enthusiastic response. Clemont watches in fascination as Ash talks to the wild Pikachu like they're friends, the robot's affinity for Pokémon once again showing itself clearly.

Ash studies the small form in front of him while the Pikachu crunches away on the last of his ice-cream cone. The small Pokémon's fur is bright yellow, save for the black tips to the ears and brown stripes on its back. "I think it's a wild Pokémon," he comments over his shoulder to Clemont. "Look, its fur is all messy."

Clemont crouches down behind him, peering over his shoulder for a better look. "That seems to be the case," he agrees. "But Pikachu aren't native to this area; they're forest Pokémon, not city Pokémon."

"Hrm." Ash looks back at Pikachu. "Did you get lost?" he asks kindly. "I'm sure we can help you find your way back to your forest." He catches sight of a discoloured area on the Pikachu's tail, but it isn't until the Pokémon turns to peer at the other two that he gets a better look at it. It's not a mark or dirt – it's a scar. _It must have gotten hurt pretty badly for a scar like that…_

"We won't hurt you, I promise." He reaches out a hand carefully to pat it the way he'd pat Bunnelby or Heliolisk. But instead of leaning into his hand like Clemont's Pokémon do, the Pikachu jolts in surprise and darts backwards, landing on all fours. The remains of Ash's ice-cream drop to the ground.

"Ah, I'm sor–!"

The Pikachu doesn't stop to listen. It looses a Thunderbolt at all three of them with a loud "Chuuuuuu!"

Ash cries out and falls backwards, more out of shock than pain thanks to whatever Clemont has done to insulate him from electrical attacks. The Thunderbolt breaks off and the Pikachu darts away, disappearing into the flowers. "Ah wait, come back!" Ash calls desperately, stretching a beseeching hand after it. He struggles to his feet and is about to dash after the Pokémon – _I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!_ – when a noise behind him catches his attention. He spins around to find Clemont and Bonnie have collapsed to the ground from the Thunderbolt as well. "Clemont! Bonnie!" Ash cries in alarm, dropping down beside them. The robot wants to chase after the Pikachu, but Clemont and Bonnie are more important. _He_ might be insulated against electric attacks, but his friends are not. "Are you both alright?!"

Bonnie is up in a flash. "I'm okay!" she says cheerfully.

Her brother sits up more slowly. "Me too." Clemont blinks and resettles his glasses on his nose. "Are _you_ alright?"

"Where did Pikachu go?" Bonnie adds, looking around for the Pokémon.

"I'm fine, thanks to you," Ash tells Clemont, who sighs in relief. "Pikachu ran away, I think I scared it. I'm sorry, I didn't think it'd zap all of us." It's the robot's turn to sigh glumly. "I just wanted to be friends with it…"

"Aw, I wanted to play with Pikachu too…" Bonnie says in disappointment, shoulders slumping.

"It's alright," Clemont tells Ash, wanting to clear away his friend's sad face. _It's not your fault, Ash._ "Some wild Pokémon just don't like being around humans…"

 _I'm not human, though._ "Did you see the scar on its tail?" Ash asks instead, frowning.

Clemont nods, looking serious. "Yes. Perhaps something happened to it before that's made it distrust people…"

"That's awful…" Ash trails off, saddened as he thinks about the scar he'd seen on the Pikachu's tail. _It must have hurt a lot. Poor Pikachu…_

Bonnie echoes Ash's thoughts aloud unknowingly, also looking downcast. "Poor Pikachu…"

Clemont looks from the two sad faces in front of him to the spot where the Pikachu had run off and back to his sister and Ash again. He's concerned about the injured Pokémon as well, but there's not much the three of them can do if Pikachu doesn't want their help. Clemont reaches out to rest a comforting hand on each of their shoulders. "That scar was fairly old and it seems to be in good health, at least," he tells the two of them reassuringly. "If we meet it again we can try to help it, but since it seems like Pikachu doesn't want us to come near it at the moment, why don't we keep exploring the city? We still have some time left before we should start heading back to the Tower."

Ash glances in the direction that the yellow Pokémon had run off in, sighs, and nods. "You're right." He brightens slightly. "It really was in good health, wasn't it? That Thunderbolt was _amazing!_ " Just like that, the robot cheers up, continuing to gush over the Pikachu and the other Pokémon he'd seen around the city earlier as he helps Clemont and Bonnie to their feet. Clemont smiles to himself as he brushes the dirt off his clothes, listening with one ear as he picks up the remains of the ice-cream cones that he and Bonnie had dropped when Pikachu had zapped them. Those, he puts them in a nearby bin; Ash and Bonnie trail after him, the two still waxing poetic about the city's Pokémon. _I'm glad that the two of them aren't sad anymore, at least._

As they leave the flower garden, Ash glances back. _Pikachu… Please take care!_

* * *

 _A new friend perhaps...?_

 _Lol who am I kidding Ash and Pikachu are inseparable in any universe haha_

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Life goes on at Lumiose Tower in much the same way as before. Ash and Clemont continue to co-run the Gym with much success; thanks to Ash, Clemont now has much more free time to spend on his inventions. Some are incredibly successful, like the Solar Charger he creates based on Heliolisk's frills to store power from sunlight and turn it into electrical power to run the flashlight. Some are… less successful, but not complete failures: he's actually rather fond of the Minccino-inspired autonomous floor-cleaning vacuum he designs one day. Much to Bonnie's disappointment, who had enjoyed riding around on top of it, he has to dismantle that invention for a closer look because of its tendency to try and latch onto people's feet.

Others are complete and utter failures that manage to blow up in his face and send him coughing out into the hallway to avoid the smoke. Bonnie is pretty blasé about the consistent explosions by this point, but Ash still pops up in concern to see if Clemont is alright.

Sometimes, however, he spends his time down in the Gym just watching Ash battle. Despite still not being able to open that mysteriously locked file, Clemont hasn't had any worries about Ash' ability to run the Gym as a true Gym Leader in some time. It's nice just to be able to sit back and relax, and watch the joy that Ash takes in battling. The robot, a master of unconventional tactics and improvisation from the beginning, is improving in leaps and bounds in his battling skills – he can already win nearly 2 out of every 3 matches against Clemont. Clemont has talked to him before about the role of a Gym Leader – to put their all into a battle, yes, but above all, to test the challenging Trainer – and Ash performs it admirably. He's good natured when he loses, offering the Voltage Badge with praise; and just as good-natured when he wins, offering encouraging words and advice.

Clemont wonders sometimes if some of the challengers don't even realise that Ash isn't human. Even _he_ has moments where he forgets about it completely as he returns Ash's enthusiastic wave after spotting him in the stands.

However, it's hard to forget when you have to spend an hour chasing down a stubborn robot to convince him to let you upgrade his code.

"'m s'ry," Clemont mumbles around a mouthful of cable as he hooks Ash up to the computer in the workshop. "I'll make it quick," he promises apologetically, once the cable is gone and plugged into its proper place. "I know you hate it, but I really do need to do this upgrade or you might end up overheating."

"I know, I know," Ash grumbles, shuffling around until he is sitting in a comfortable position. "I don't wanna melt, but it just feels weird to me." Clemont pats his shoulder in commiseration and gets to his feet with a grunt. Before he can turn away, however, Ash reaches up and catches a hold of his hand. "Thanks for doing it, though," Ash tells him earnestly. "Even though I'm complaining about it so much."

Clemont smiles as Ash lets his hand fall. "It's no problem at all," he replies, hopping down from the platform and heading for the computer. "Try not to move too much, please," he adds as he starts to search for the files that require updating. Over on the platform, Ash freezes halfway through shuffling around again, looking guilty. The sudden lack of noise makes Clemont look around, chuckling. "You can get comfortable," he tells him, "but after that, try not to move around. The cables might twist out if you move too much and disrupt the transfer."

"Oh, right," Ash says with a nod, eventually settling down into a cross-legged position, propping his chin up on his hands. After checking to make sure he isn't going to move again – sitting still seems to be a hard task for someone with as much energy as Ash – Clemont returns to the screen. _Ok, so the files I need to update are this one, and this one, and those –_

True to his word, he tries to work quickly, but even quick upgrades require time to integrate the new code and check that it won't interfere with any of the existing code. He can hear Ash starting to fidget, drumming his fingers against the platform and shifting restlessly. Clemont really should have thought to get Ash a book or something to read while he sits there; Ash normally spends the time looking out the windows, distracted by the city below, but today the sky is dull with clouds and watery sunshine. _Sorry Ash, just a little bit longer…!_ he thinks guiltily.

His fingers are flying across the keys when a long, drawn-out hiss of breath from the centre of the room has him freezing mid-word, swivelling around in a panic. There's a faint grimace on Ash's face. "Ash?"

"Huh? Ah, no, it's okay, keep going," Ash says. "It just feels super weird." A shudder runs through his frame, punctuating his words.

Clemont does not keep going. How can he, when Ash is clearly in discomfort? "Can you feel what I'm doing?" he asks, heavy concern mixed with a spark of curiosity. Ash nods. Clemont files this away for further thought. Clearly, however, it's not a _nice_ feeling; he's reminded suddenly of how doctors put people under anaesthetic when they go in for an operation. "Would you rather me shut you down for a bit while I do this?" he offers, brows furrowed in concern. "That way you wouldn't be able to feel any of it. I don't want you to be in discomfort."

Ash appears to think this over for a moment. "Nah," the robot replies eventually, shaking his head. Clemont is amused and somewhat gratified to see that Ash is still doing his best not to disturb the cables connecting him to the computer despite the unpleasant feeling. "It's still more interesting to stay awake. Besides, you said you'd be done soon, right?" He shoots a smile in Clemont's direction.

"Yes, I've only got two more files to update," Clemont confirms. "If you're sure…" Ash waves a hand at him without looking, shooing him back towards the computer. Clemont huffs a laugh. "…Well, I'll hurry up, in any case."

He's just opening up the next file when Ash speaks up again. "Hey, Clemont…" He waits for Clemont's hum to show he is listening before continuing. "Do you – do you reckon that Pikachu is doing okay?"

"Pikachu?" Clemont repeats blankly. "Oh – the one from the flower garden the other day?"

"Yeah!" Ash props his chin on his hand. "I hope he's doing okay," he says wistfully. "I can't help but worry. Pikachu don't usually live in the city..."

"That's true," Clemont agrees, continuing to type away. "Still, there is actually a large population of wild Pokémon living in Lumiose City."

"Really?" Ash asks, perking up.

Clemont nods, though he doesn't look around at Ash. "Yes, there's a lot of parks and waterways here that they can live in." He saves the file he's working on and transfers it before accessing the last file he needs to update. "So I think that Pikachu is probably doing alright," Clemont continues. "Even though he didn't seem to like humans, he must get enough food somehow, because he looked healthy enough when we saw him."

"Yeah… that's true," the robot muses. "Still, that scar on his tail… I wonder if that's why he doesn't like humans?" A pout. "I wanna be his friend though…"

"I'm sure you'd be a good friend to Pikachu," Clemont tells him, glancing over at the robot. "Though you need to take Pikachu's feelings into account as well. If Pikachu really doesn't want to be around humans, then it might not be a good idea to force him." Ash's shoulders slump, a glum expression on his face. Still, he nods reluctant acceptance. "Still," Clemont adds, not wanting to see his friend look so sad, "if you'd like, we could go down to the flower garden again sometime and see if we can find Pikachu. He might just be shy."

Just as Clemont had hoped, Ash brightens again. "Really? That'd be awesome, yeah! Thanks Clemont!"

Hiding a smile, Clemont turns his attention back to the computer. _I'm not sure if we'll be able to find Pikachu, though… but then again, Ash is pretty stubborn. He'll probably search the entire garden to see if he can find that Pikachu. Hrm, I wonder if there's anything I could make to help us search faster…?_ He files the thought away, to come back to when he isn't messing around in Ash's code.

It seems that talking serves as a welcome distraction for Ash from the strangeness of having his code shifted around, so Clemont isn't surprised when Ash speaks up again.

"Hey… Clemont?"

"Mm?" he replies, only half-listening as he frowns at a piece of code that isn't working out the way he thought it should. In his distraction, he misses the sudden hesitancy in Ash's voice – a rare state for the robot to be in.

"I've been thinking… I want to become a Pokémon Trainer!" Ash declares. "That tournament that you and Bonnie told me about sounds so fun, and I'd love to be able to travel around Kalos a bit… not that Lumiose City isn't great, but just think of all the amazing places to see out there! And all the Pokémon! I'd get to see and battle all kinds of Pokémon, and make friends with them…"

"Mm," he agrees absently. _I think the problem is in this line here… Please don't tell me it's just because I forgot a semi-colon…!_

Ash seems heartened by his response, his voice gaining momentum and excitement. "I heard that the very best Pokémon Trainers are called Pokémon Masters! So I've decided, even more than a Pokémon Trainer, I'm gonna win the Kalos League and then become a Pokémon Master! I wanna know everything about every kind of Pokémon and have a lot of fun battles!"

"There, all finished!" Clemont says in relief, transferring the last file. "Hang on, I'll come disconnect you." He's out of his seat and halfway to Ash before his mind backtracks over the half-heard monologue. "Wait, what were you saying?"

"I wanna be a Pokémon Trainer and travel around!" Ash says with exaggerated patience, unable to keep the eagerness out of his voice. Clemont's hands freeze mid-reach for the cables. "And eventually, a Pokémon Master!"

Clemont forces himself to keep moving, disconnecting the cables gently as his mind whirls in shock. _A… A Pokémon Trainer?_ A small seed of panic bursts to life in his chest. "I don't know, Ash," he says doubtfully, collecting the cables together. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Why not?" Ash says in surprise, twisting around to look at him. Clemont passes him back his t-shirt, which he takes automatically, and heads back to his computer desk to stow the cables away.

"Because it's too dangerous," Clemont says firmly. "Ash, you're a robot."

"So?" Ash replies mulishly. He pulls the t-shirt on, head popping through the collar. "That's not stopped me before, I don't see why it should stop me now."

Clemont sighs, his back to Ash as he stores the cables away. "It's too dangerous," he repeats. "You're not designed for hard travel, like what you'd encounter if you actually went journeying across Kalos –"

"But you can make me better suited for that," Ash argues.

Clemont ignores the interruption. "– and even if you were, what happens when you get damaged? It'll happen sooner or later, believe me. You can't just go to a Pokémon Center or a regular hospital like a human or Pokémon could to be healed. Even a simple code upgrade like this," he waves at the workshop, shutting the cupboard door to face his friend, "would be hard to do anywhere else."

"I can do without the code upgrades," Ash says, crossing his arms. "As for the rest – well – I'm not going to get injured!"

Clemont snorts. "Ash, you knocked half your fingers out of alignment the other day."

"Well, yeah, but –"

"And the week before that, you managed to put a dent in your leg." He's still not sure _how_ Ash managed that one, considering that he'd made sure to reinforce Ash's arms and legs when he'd remade him.

"That wasn't –"

"And before _that –_ " Clemont continues, but Ash waves his hands frantically.

"Alright! I get it!" he protests. "But none of those were serious!"

"But they could be!" Clemont counters. "And travelling around Kalos would be a lot tougher on your body than staying here in Prism Tower." He sighs. "Besides, people might treat you strangely when they find out you're a robot. You're used to being here, where everyone knows you, but Kalos is a big place, with all kinds of people. I'm not even sure if you'd be allowed to register for the League –" he cuts off, a considering look passing over his face as he puts a hand to his chin in thought. "Actually, no, you probably can, given that the League Association approved your position as a Gym Leader here," he concedes, but returns to his previous patient tone. "But in any case, you don't really know a lot about other people."

Ash frowns. "You and Bonnie have taught me heaps, though."

"Yes, but we're only two people," Clemont sighs.

"Well then, isn't it important I meet more people?!" Ash retorts, raising his voice. "How am I supposed to get to know more about people and Pokémon if the only interaction I ever have with them is in Gym battles?"

"Ash, calm down," Clemont says, holding out his hands. "I think maybe you're still a bit agitated from the code upgrade…"

"No!" Ash snaps, looking angry. It's the first time Clemont has ever really seen Ash get this worked up; he's seen Ash annoyed before, seen him exuberant, but never just plain out angry. "It's got nothing to do with the upgrade," the robot continues. "I thought you'd support me with this, Clemont!" His words are angry, but his posture slumps with disappointment. Clemont winces, the sharp accusation hitting hard.

"And I _would_ ," he insists, his voice taking on a pleading tone. Ash surely has to realise how much Clemont _wants_ to support him? But there are a million reasons why this is a bad idea, and he wishes that Ash could just see reason. "I'd support you with anything else, but this is too dangerous, Ash!"

"This is my dream!" Ash cries.

"But it's too dangerous!" Clemont repeats. _Of all the times for Ash to get_ really _stubborn about something…_ _Please Ash, just think this through!_ He forces himself back to a calm tone. "Besides, you're a Gym Leader. You can't just go off around the country collecting badges and neglect the Gym! You've got to stay here." _You belong here, with me._

"Well then, I quit as Gym Leader!" Ash retorts, storming towards the door. "I don't need your help anyway!"

"Ash, wait –!" Clemont calls, stretching a hand out. Ash ignores him, slamming the door behind him with a force that rattles the shelves closest to the door. A few seconds later, Clemont hears the front door of the apartment slam closed as well. His hand drops back to his side.

He sighs. _Oh dear._

/\/\/\

Ash moodily kicks at a rock on the ground and watches it bounce further down the road ahead of him. _Stupid Clemont!_ Ash scowls and shoves his hands into pockets as he stalks along the footpath. " _I don't think that's a good idea, Ash_ ," he mimics aloud. " _It probably wouldn't go well, Ash_." His scowl deepens. "What does he know, anyway? Well, I'll show him! I'm gonna become a Pokémon Master! And I'll do it without his help!" he declares, earning strange looks from the people passing by. Ash deflates and moves out of their way, leaning on a railing that overlooks one of the city's canals.

"Why is being a robot such a big deal, anyway?" he complains to himself. "So I'm not made of flesh and bone! Just because I'm a robot doesn't mean I'm not a person." At least, that was the impression he'd always gotten from his small family until now. They'd always treated him the way they treated each other. _Would people really treat me that differently if they knew?_ Ash wonders. He doesn't know; before he started playing at being human, the only people he'd met had been Trainers wanting a Gym battle – and really, Trainers who want a Gym battle wouldn't care if their opponent is a robot or a human or a potato, as long as they have the chance to earn a badge.

He sighs.

"I thought friends were supposed to _help_ you," Ash mutters, resting his chin on his arms as he stares down at the canal below. Not even the sight of the Marill playing in the water cheers him up. _'They help you and you help them', right?_ _I've always done my best to help Clemont – I've always_ wanted _to help Clemont, just because I like seeing him and Bonnie be happy, not because I was trying to trade favours or anything. I just thought… I just thought he'd be happy for me._ Ash sighs morosely. _I thought he'd help me… or at least back me up._

Ash finds himself watching the Marill splashing around in the water happily. The sight reminds him of another bridge he'd stopped to watch water Pokémon from, the day he'd gone outside Prism Tower for the first time.

 _Clemont caught me before I could fall off, that time_ , he remembers suddenly. Despite physical activity not being his strong suit, Clemont had still acted without hesitation to drag Ash back over the right side of the railing, even though he'd been exhausted afterwards.

In fact, now that Ash was considering it, there were a lot of times just like that where Clemont's first instinct _was_ to support him, even if he was going out of his way to do it. Take the Gym battles, for example. Alright, it was guaranteed that Ash would get to fight some of the Gym battles – after all, that's why Clemont had made him in the first place – but Clemont didn't have to share as much of the Gym with Ash as he currently did, especially when it was for no other reason than Ash enjoyed Pokémon battles and wanted to battle more. Both Bonnie and Clemont had so readily shared their home, their lives and their Pokémon with Ash and treated him like a person from the start. All those times Ash had managed to damage himself one way or the other and Clemont had just dropped whatever he was doing to fix it straight away so it wouldn't trouble Ash any longer. Not to mention making him an entirely new body for no other reason than he thought Ash would appreciate it – the amount of thought and work Clemont had put into the design was astounding.

 _Clemont's been helping me all along and I never really paid attention…_ he think as he glances down at his hands, feeling contrite. _He's been helping me because he simply just wants to help me. So I guess he must have his reasons for not doing so now._

 _I need to talk properly to Clemont without getting angry this time around._

That decided, Ash looks around and suddenly realises he has no idea where he is. _Ah, it's this way… wait, or maybe it was this way…?_ He spins around in a circle, but nothing in the street looks familiar to him. Ash scratches his head sheepishly. _Well, as long as I can see the Tower I can make it back home from anywhere in the city, right?_

Luckily, Prism Tower is easily seen from just about anywhere in Lumiose City, so it doesn't take long for Ash to locate it. Ash sets off towards it, but he's only gone a few steps, when –

 _'Well then, I quit as a Gym Leader!'_

– his parting words to Clemont echo in his mind. The image of his friend's surprised face at his words is crystal clear in his memory. Ash's steps falter. Maybe Clemont wouldn't want to see him now, after that fight. _He's probably still angry at me…_

Ash stares up at Prism Tower, the structure rising over the city like a lighthouse or a beacon. Although it's impossible to tell from the outside, he knows exactly which level the Gym is – and above that, Clemont and Bonnie's apartment. He wonders if Clemont is back in his workshop and if so, what he's making now. He wonders if he'll ever find out.

The robot gives Prism Tower one final, long look and then turns away and walks in the opposite direction.

He doesn't notice the sky start to darken overhead.

/\/\/\

 _'Well then, I quit as a Gym Leader!'_

Clemont sighs morosely, shoulders slumping. Although he had come up to his workshop to work on his latest invention in order to keep his mind off his earlier argument with Ash, it still continues to replay over and over in his mind. When he realises he's just been staring at the part in his hands for the last few minutes instead of working on it, Clemont sets everything down on the work bench and buries his face in his hands miserably. "It's no use, I can't concentrate on this!"

Beside him, Heliolisk makes a noise of concern and peers up at his Trainer worriedly. Clemont looks down at his partner Pokémon. "I should apologise to Ash, shouldn't I?"

"Heeeelio," Heliolisk replies seriously.

Clemont sighs again, letting his hands fall to the workbench. "He was so excited about becoming a proper Trainer – he said it was his dream – ahhh, I should have known saying it wouldn't work out was a bad idea, but Ash is so stubborn sometimes!" He scrubs a hand through his hair, too frustrated to realise that he's just managed to streak oil through it as well.

By this point, Heliolisk is fairly sure that his Trainer is speaking more to himself than to his Pokémon, but the lizard Pokémon still makes an appropriate sound in response all the same. Clemont blinks as though he's just remembered that Heliolisk is there and stretches out a hand to rub the Pokémon's head, much to Heliolisk's delight.

"I just – I worry so much about him, you know?" he says with a sad smile. Heliolisk nods emphatically under his hand, making noises of agreement. Clemont huffs a laugh. "Of course, you're his friend too, you must worry just as much!"

Clemont's hand stills on top of Heliolisk's head and the lizard Pokémon looks up at him. No matter how much Clemont puts on a brave face, his first fight with Ash has really rattled him. "I didn't mean to make him mad at me…" Clemont confesses quietly, more to himself than to Heliolisk. Guilt has settled in his stomach, refusing to leave him alone. "…I don't _want_ him to be mad at me." The Gym Leader falls silent, his hand moving restlessly across Heliolisk's head.

"I'm sure he didn't actually mean it when he said he was quitting, right?" he asks Heliolisk after long moments of silence. "Ash doesn't give up on anything." It was one of the things that Clemont admires about his robot, but it was also one of the most frustrating. He sighs when he realises that this probably means that Ash won't give up on his dream of becoming a Trainer either. "Well, first things first," he tells Heliolisk. "I'll find Ash and apologise. Then maybe we can have a battle!" Pokémon battles always seemed to cheer Ash up, and it had been a while since he and Ash had had a training battle. "What do you think, Heliolisk?"

"Helio!" Heliolisk agrees, happy to see that his Trainer recover some of his usual energy. Nodding decisively, Clemont hops down from his stool and goes to find Ash and hopefully apologise.

However, Ash isn't anywhere in their apartment, nor is the robot down in the Gym when Clemont goes down there to check. He's standing in the middle of the battlefield, frowning in deep thought, when he hears Bonnie call out from behind him. "Clemont! What are you doing down here? I don't think we'll get many challengers today…"

"Bonnie!" Clemont pauses, running her last words through his mind again. "Wait, why wouldn't there be challengers?" he asks, momentarily sidetracked.

"Because! I was just listening to the TV, and the weather report said that there was going to be a huge storm today!" Bonnie says, waving a finger in the air. "No-one's gonna want to come out to the Gym on a day like that!"

Clemont has a bad feeling about this. "Have you seen Ash anywhere?" he asks.

His sister shakes her head. "No, I haven't seen him since this morning. What's wrong?" There's concern in her voice; it's not often that Ash can't be found near one of the two siblings.

Clemont looks at the ground, shamefaced. "I had a fight with him earlier –" Bonnie glares at him and he holds his hands up to ward off the look, continuing hastily, "– and I wanted to apologise to him! But I can't find him anywhere…"

Bonnie's glare softens into worry. "We should check the whole Tower! Maybe he just went exploring to calm down. I'll help you look!'

"Thanks, Bonnie," Clemont says gratefully. Two of them looking means they can find Ash faster.

"Zaaa! Za zaaaa!"

Clemont looks down in surprise at Heliolisk waving his arms energetically. "You want to help look for Ash too?" _It makes sense, after all, Ash is their friend as well._ "You're right, Heliolisk! We can search faster with everyone's help! Please come out!"

Magneton, Magnemite and Bunnelby all appear in bursts of light next to Heliolisk and look at him expectantly. "We need to find Ash. Please search around the Tower and see if you can find him!" Clemont tells them.

All of his Pokémon nod, making sounds of agreement. "I'll check the observation deck!" Bonnie volunteers.

"Bunnelby, you go with Bonnie. The rest of us will check the lower floors and we'll meet back here, okay?" Clemont directs. There's a chorus of agreement. Bonnie and Bunnelby head for the elevator while Clemont heads for the stairs, the rest of his Pokémon hot on his heels.

 _I hope we can find Ash inside the Tower_ , Clemont thinks, worried. _If he's gone outside, I don't know how we can find him in such a big city. And if a big storm is really going to hit… Ash could really get hurt._

He hopes with all his heart that Ash hasn't left the Tower.

.

.

.

Clemont braces a hand on the wall outside the entrance to the Gym, breathing heavily. Running all around the Tower to try and find Ash is exhausting, but he has to keep searching. There's no sign of the robot anywhere, which only makes the worry in his heart stronger with every passing minute. He hopes that one of the others has had more luck in finding Ash.

The doors to his Gym swish open as Clemont nears them. It seems he is the last to return; Bonnie and all his Pokémon have gathered in the middle of the battlefield again. Ash isn't there. They all look up expectantly when the doors open, but visibly slump when it becomes clear that Clemont has returned alone.

Clemont hurries over anyway, heart in mouth. "Anything?" he asks, a tinge of desperation to his words even though he already knows the answer he's going to receive. Bonnie shakes her head, looking as worried as Clemont feels.

"No, we couldn't find him anywhere." His Pokémon chorus an answer along the same lines.

Clemont takes a deep breath, trying not to panic. _He's left the Tower then. Probably right after we argued, too._ It hits him then, like a punch to the gut, that if anything happens to Ash while he's outside, it'll be Clemont's fault for driving him away from the Tower in the first place. _I have to find him!_

"I'm going to go out and look for him!" he declares aloud. "Thank you for helping us search, everyone!" He calls all of his Pokémon back to their Pokéballs, already mentally calculating the places Ash is more likely to have gone.

"I'm coming too!" Bonnie exclaims. Clemont shakes his head and kneels down in front of her.

"No, I need you to stay here in case Ash comes back, alright?" he says gently. There's a good chance that the storm will hit while Clemont is out looking; even now, ominous-looking black clouds are starting to swirl above Lumiose City. It's too dangerous to risk his little sister going out in that. Plus, there really _is_ the chance, however small, that Ash will come back to Prism Tower of his own accord. If that happens, Clemont wants one of them to be here, otherwise the robot might just turn around and head back out into the storm to find _them_.

"Okay," she says quietly. He smiles and hugs her quickly, knowing that Bonnie is just as worried as he is and that it must be hard for her to wait here without doing anything.

"Thank you, Bonnie. I'll be back as soon as I can." Clemont stands up. "I'll find him," he promises. Bonnie nods, and Clemont spins around, heading back the way he had come in.

"Take care, Clemont!" he hears Bonnie call after him as the doors swish shut.

 _Ash, I'm sorry! Just please be alright! I'll find you!_

* * *

 _Oh dear D:_

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed C: For anyone wondering, since this site doesn't let me specify a chapter amount, there are twenty chapters over all in Clockwork Heart, and you can consider this fic as sort of a replacement 'episode 0/episode 1' for the XY series. Anything set further into the XY timeline depends on how much energy and time I have haha_

 _And now, onto the chapter! Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6**_

The first drops of rain startle Ash out of his thoughts. He squints up at the sky. At first, Ash doesn't understand what's going on – it's almost like the time the Gym's sprinkler system was activated by a rogue Flamethrower, except that he's outside right now – but when he realises that it's _raining_ , the robot stares up into the falling drops of water with wonder.

It's not his first time seeing rain – thunderstorms do occasionally come to Lumiose City despite the usually fair weather. In fact, Ash loves to sit and watch them from Clemont's workshop because the view from up there is spectacular; Lumiose City glitters in the rain. However, Clemont and Bonnie don't like to go outside when it's raining – Clemont because he worries they'll get sick and Bonnie because thunder scares her – so this is Ash's first time actually being out in the rain. He laughs in delight and spins around as the street around him starts to empty quickly.

The novelty wears off as the water starts to fall harder and faster, coming down in sheets. Ash darts for nearby cover under the awning of a shop, suddenly understanding why everyone had left so hurriedly before. Luckily, his hat has mostly protected his head from the rain, but the parts of his hair that stuck out are now dripping with water and sticking to his face. Not to mention that his clothes are wet as well. Ash tries shaking off the water the way he's seen Clemont's Pokémon do before, but what works for Pokémon fur sadly doesn't work at all for human clothes. He gives up and leans against the window of the shop, waiting for the rain to die down. Clemont might have made him water resistant, but Ash doesn't know to what extent. He doesn't think Clemont had done it with _this_ sort of thing in mind. With the rain now thundering down with an audible roar – it's so loud that Ash can barely hear himself think – the robot doesn't want to risk frying his circuits again. If that happens, he'll be stuck here, unable to move or do anything. Clemont doesn't even know where he is right now, so who knows how long it would take him to even find Ash in that case, let alone fix him.

 _Clemont was right_ , Ash realises with a pang. Lightning cracks overhead, making him jump. He looks down at his hands, water slowly dripping off his hair onto his upturned palms. _Going off on my own like this_ is _dangerous. I don't know what I can and can't do, but he must have a pretty good idea. I think… I think he was just worried about what could happen to me, the way he worries about Bonnie all the time._ If that was the case, then he definitely owed Clemont an apology.

Ash shivers. The rain doesn't seem like it's going to stop any time soon. Maybe leaving the Tower without telling anyone where he was going hadn't been the best idea…

He watches the rain fall and wishes he were making hot chocolate and curling up under a blanket next to Bonnie to watch TV in an attempt to block the sound of the thunder, or watching the rain fall by the window of Clemont's workshop as he works on whatever invention has crossed his mind this week.

 _I'm sorry, Clemont_ , he thinks, tucking hands under his arms. From his spot under the awning, he can just make out the tip of Prism Tower behind the building opposite. _I'm sorry, Bonnie. I'll come home as soon as I can!_

 ** _CRACK!_**

Lightning flashes again. But this time, it doesn't strike down from the clouds – no, _this_ lightning arcs up from the ground with a loud crack of thunder. Ash almost falls over in surprise and stares as the lightning fades away.

"What was that?!" he exclaims. He hovers at the edge of the awning, torn between going to investigate the strange phenomenon and staying put under the awning where he is safe from the rain.

 _'It's too dangerous, Ash!'_ Clemont's voice echoes in his mind and Ash hesitates. _It's probably better if I just stay here. I'm sure it was nothing…_

Lightning cracks upwards again in the same place as before, lighting up the sky and making Ash frown. _There's definitely something fishy going on!_ The robot darts forward instinctively and then jerks back before he can step out into the rain. _Drat, but I don't know if it's safe to go out in this rain!_ He grits his teeth, staring towards the place he'd seen the lightning flash and scrubs at his head in frustration. "Arghhhhhh! I'm sorry, Clemont! I have to check it out, someone might be in danger!" he yells and darts out recklessly into the rain.

/\/\/\

"Ryuuuu!"

Meyer hears Ampharos' exclamation as he emerges from the back room of the shop carrying a microwave that badly needs repairs. "Oh? What's the matter, Ampharos?" he asks curiously, setting his load on the counter before going to stand next to the Pokémon by the shop's front windows. Meyer peers outside. "Wow, it's really coming down, isn't it? I don't think we'll be getting any customers today; no-one would be out in this weather!"

"Ryu, ryuu!" Ampharos says urgently, pointing. Meyer blinks, bemused, and turns to look in the direction Ampharos is indicating. He can't see anything out of the ordinary besides the heavy rain. Meyer is turning to ask Ampharos for more explanation when someone splashes past his store, running in the same direction that the yellow Pokémon had indicated. The running figure is soon swallowed by the rain once again.

Meyer looks at Ampharos, who looks back at him. "Wasn't that Clemont's friend?"

" _Ryuuuu_."

/\/\/\

The rain is pounding down against every exposed inch of him; Ash had never realised that rain could fall so hard or so thickly. It's hard to hear anything as well, the roar of the rain hitting into pavement and bricks drowning out almost every other sound until the world is condensed to one continuous rushing noise. To be perfectly honest, Ash is surprised that he's even still functioning at this point – the rain is so thick, he's practically swimming. He keeps on going, however, trusting in Clemont's skills to keep him safe from the rain. Ash is determined to find the source of that lightning, like someone had been calling out to him for help.

He stops in the middle of the street and looks around frantically, arms held over his head to try and keep the rain off. There's no sign anywhere of the strange lightning from before. _Come on, I'm sure I saw it come from around here somewhere!_ Ash squints, trying to see through the rain but to no avail – the rain is falling thickly enough that it's hard to even see the end of the street. He makes a noise of frustration. _If only there was a way I could see properly through all of this rain…_

Lightning flashes overhead for a split second, followed closely by a loud rumble of thunder. _What would Clemont do?_ Ash thinks desperately. _Come on, Ash, think!_ He closes his eyes, trying to concentrate. Knowing Clemont, he would probably just pull an invention out of nowhere that did exactly what he needed it to do. _I'm not as smart as Clemont, though, and I don't have any of his inventions with me either._ Ash sighs, shoulders slumping before straightening suddenly.

 _Hang on,_ I'm _one of his inventions!_

Even if he looks more like a human now, thereare still things he can do as a robot that ordinary humans can't. Ash grins and closes his eyes. _Right, I wonder if I get rid of the sound of the rain first…_

It takes a bit of work – this is the first time he's done something like this, after all – but eventually the endless rushing sound of the rain slowly fades to background static and he is able to hear all the other sounds that the rain had been covering. The sudden clamour of Pokémon crying out for help startles him enough that he almost loses his concentration. But Ash holds on determinedly, trying to figure out where the cries for help are coming from.

 _Over there!_ Between one blink and the next, Ash's world goes monochrome and the rain disappears completely – to his vision, at least. Even though he can't see it anymore, Ash can still feel the rain pouring down upon the arms over his head. He thinks that maybe Clemont had explained whatever this was back when he'd been showing Ash the plans for his upgrade, using words like 'thermal vision' and 'heat signatures' that had gone over Ash's head completely. _Wow, this is awesome, Clemont! I don't really understand what it is, but science sure is amazing!_

There's a brilliant white patch glowing in Ash's vision in the same direction that the Pokémon voices had come from. _That must be the Pokémon!_ He dashes in that direction, feet splashing uncaringly through puddles as pavement turns to grass beneath his feet and he weaves between bushes and trees and carefully tended flowerbeds. The world is a different place when seen only in black and white, but it's not totally unrecognisable and Ash realises that for the first time today he actually knows where he is. _This is the flower garden that I walked through with Clemont and Bonnie!_

With that knowledge in mind, Ash runs towards the beacon of light that is still glowing somewhere in front of him. If he remembers the layout of the garden correctly, he should be coming up to the centre of the garden – a wide open space with a fountain in the centre. Ash can hear the sounds of a Pokémon battle up ahead – _who'd be having a Pokémon battle in rain like this?_ – and puts on an extra burst of speed, bursting into the clearing and skidding to a stop.

It _is_ a Pokémon battle – two against one from the look of things, which makes Ash growl in anger. He gets even more enraged when he realises it's two _Trainers_ against a wild Pokémon – or at least, Ash assumes it's a wild Pokémon, because he can't see a third Trainer anywhere near the other Pokémon. In fact, there's no sign of _any_ other Pokémon around other than the ones here in front of him. Was the wild Pokémon the one that had been crying out for help? "Hey, knock it off!" he yells. "It's irresponsible to battle in this kind of weather!"

None of the others hear him, too focused on each other. "Argh, stop being such a nuisance!" one of the Trainers yells. "Pumpkaboo! Shadow Ball!"

"Inkay! Psybeam!" the other Trainer commands.

Both attacks explode against the wild Pokémon. Ash cries out as his world bursts into noise and bright light. He squeezes his eyes shut and claps his hands over his ears, trying desperately to set his senses back to normal human levels before it can cause any damage. The ringing in his sensors fades slowly as the sound of the rain filters back in and Ash opens his eyes slowly, colours and shapes gradually resolving themselves into the world around him. _Ouch, I'd better not do that again!_

The smoke clears, revealling a small yellow Pokémon sprawled across the ground in bad shape. Heedless of the potential danger of running into a Pokémon battle, Ash darts forward and drops to his knees beside the injured Pokémon. _A Pikachu, huh?_ He reaches out a hand to rest on its head and check the Pokémon's condition. "Was that lightning before yours?" he asks quietly. "Were you the one calling out to me earlier?"

One bleary eye opens as the Pikachu looks up at him. "Piiiii…" it says, shaking off his hand as it struggles to stand. It falters halfway through and falls back down to the ground with a sharp cry.

"Ah! Pikachu! Just rest for now, okay?" Ash says worriedly, hands hovering over the small Pokémon's form uncertainly, trying at least to shield it from the falling rain. The Pikachu bats his hands away with its tail and tries to stand again, with difficulty. Ash's eyes widen as he catches sight of the scar on the lightning bolt-shaped tail. "No way! You're the Pikachu we met here before!"

"Get out of our way, twerp!" Ash hears one of the Trainers behind him call, sounding annoyed.

By this point, Pikachu has managed to make it to all fours. It barely spares a glance for Ash, instead glaring at the two Trainers standing on the rim of the fountain and yelling angrily back at them. "Pika pika! Pikachu!"

Ash glares at the Trainers as well. "Just what do you think you're doing?!" he demands, his outrage matching the small Pokémon he's still trying to shield from the rain and from the Trainers in front of him. "Who are you, anyway?"

The two Trainers – a woman with long red hair and a man with short purple hair – simply laugh loudly at his questions. Ash frowns. Now that he's gotten a better look at them, they aren't like any Trainers he's seen come to the Gym before; they're older than Clemont and are wearing some kind of matching uniforms with a red R on the front. Two Pokémon hover in front of the duo – an Inkay and a Pumpkaboo, according to his internal Pokédex.

"Prepare for trouble!" the woman announces, striking a pose.

"And make it double!" the man adds, striking a different pose alongside the woman. Ash blinks, feeling confused as they launch into a long speech, trading lines between them:

 _"To protect the world from devastation!_

 _To unite all people within our nation!_

 _To denounce the evils of truth and love!_

 _To extend our reach to the stars above!_

 _Jessie!_

 _James!_

 _Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!_

 _Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"_

"Meowth! That's right!" another voice chimes in. Ash jumps in surprise as a Meowth lands between the man and woman. _A talking Meowth?! Is that even possible?_ Ash huffs a wry laugh to himself. _Probably about as possible as a robot that pretends to be human..._

"Come on, you guys! That Pikachu's the only one left!" the Meowth berates the other two, pointing a finger in Ash and Pikachu's direction. "Catch it quickly so we can get outta this rain!"

"What do you mean, the only one left?" Ash asks in confusion. Pikachu yells angrily from behind him as the odd trio laugh.

"All the Pokémon in this pretty little flower garden now belong to Team Rocket!" the woman announces, making a sweeping gesture towards a vehicle parked next to the water fountain that Ash hadn't noticed until now. Sitting in the back tray of the vehicle is a large cage with thick iron bars; Ash gasps in shock when he sees the Pokémon from the flower garden piled inside.

"Ah! The garden Pokémon!" he cries, horrified. _So they were the source of all the cries for help, not just Pikachu! These three are Pokémon thieves?!_ "How dare you! Give them back!"

The purple-haired man laughs. "Hahaha, as if we'd give up such an easy prize! This rain was the perfect cover for stealing these Pokémon!"

"It would have been nice to not get wet, though..." the Meowth comments, sounding disgruntled as he holds his arms out to demonstrate just how wet he is. "I look like a drowned cat!"

"But we used up our budget getting the cage specially made and we didn't have enough left over to afford umbrellas, so it can't be helped..." the male thief says plaintively.

"Stop whining, you two! Catch that Pikachu!" It's the woman's turn to point towards Ash and Pikachu as she snaps at her companions impatiently.

Ash clenches his fists in anger. "I won't let you get away with this!" he exclaims; he hears the Pikachu behind him echo the statement.

The red-haired woman laughs loudly. "We already are!" she retorts in a smug tone.

"A twerp like you doesn't stand a chance against us, so do us a favour and get out of our way!" her partner-in-crime adds with a grin.

"No way!" Ash exclaims, getting to his feet. He doesn't care about the rain that is still falling upon him; spares no thought for his own safety. What matters now is stopping these three horrible Pokémon thieves from getting their dirty hands on the Pikachu behind him and freeing all of the other Pokémon from that cage. _As a Gym Leader of Lumiose City, I cannot accept this!_ Ash thinks determinedly, narrowing his eyes at the human-Pokémon trio opposite him. He falters slightly when he remembers that he's technically not a Gym Leader anymore, not after his argument with Clemont earlier, no matter how much he regrets it now. _You quit, remember, Ash?_

Ash shakes his head, dispelling those thoughts. He needs to focus now on saving those Pokémon; there will be time to think about his own problems later. _I may not be a Gym Leader anymore,_ he amends to himself, _but I'm gonna protect this city in Clemont's name!_ "I'm Ash, from Kanto's Pallet Town!" he declares to the trio proudly. "And I won't forgive anyone who tries to steal Pokémon!"

"Oh?" the woman says with a smirk. "Then why don't you put your money where your mouth is, twerp! Pumpkaboo!" The pumpkin-like Pokémon pops up next to her, looking ready to battle.

 _Pumpkaboo… A Ghost/Grass-type, huh?_ Ash thinks, eyeing the floating Pokémon. His gaze skips over to the other Pokémon hovering in the air beside the man. _And the other one is a Dark/Psychic-type combo… I don't think I've ever battled this type of Pokémon at the Gym before! This is kind of exciting!_

"A Pokémon battle?" he asks, reaching for the Pokéballs on his belt. "Alright, I accept! I choose –" His fingers close on empty air. "Huh?" Ash says blankly, looking down at his belt to see that his belt is completely devoid of Pokéballs. _Oh no!_ Ash gulps. _I left all of Clemont's Pokémon back at the Gym!_

"We're waiting~" the three thieves chorus, looking smug. Ash grits his teeth in frustration. _I don't have any Pokémon with me… what should I do? I can't battle like this, but I can't let them get away with stealing all those Pokémon!_

"Well, if you're not going to bring out any Pokémon..." Ash looks up in alarm at the thief as his opponent commands, "Inkay! Psybeam!"

Ash snatches the Pikachu behind him up into his arms and dives out of the way just as the Psybeam hits the ground where they had been standing. "Whoa! They're not kidding around!" he mutters, wincing as he pushes himself up off the ground. "You alright, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" The electric Pokémon squirms out of his hold and jumps down to the ground. One of its paws gives out as it lands and it collapses into the mud, but Pikachu struggles back up onto its feet. "Pika pika! Pikachu!" it challenges, electricity sparking from its cheeks as it glares at Team Rocket. Ash kneels down beside the small form, noting with worry the way the Pokémon is breathing hard. _It must have already been battling these three for a while before I turned up…_

"Hey, Pikachu, I understand your feelings," he says softly. Pikachu's ears twitch, but otherwise doesn't respond to Ash's words. "You want to rescue all your friends, right? You fought really hard to defend them before too, I bet." He reaches out a careful hand, wondering if this is only going to get him zapped once again, and lays it on Pikachu's back. The Pokémon's fur is cold and wet and Pikachu shivers under his fingers. "But you're already exhausted and injured, Pikachu, don't overdo it! Please leave it to me!" Ash places his hand on his chest, above where his heart would have been if he was human. "I swear, I'll rescue your friends so please just rest here, okay?"

Pikachu stares at him for a long moment. ' _Perhaps something happened to it before that's made it distrust people…'_ Clemont's words from before echo in his mind and he tries to convey his sincerity and worry to the small Pokémon. "Please. You can trust me," he promises. "Please, Pikachu!"

The electric Pokémon glances towards Team Rocket again, cheeks sparking before it looks back at Ash. "Pika…" Pikachu says, ears and tail drooping as the Pokémon steps back. Not longer trying to put on a brave face, it's clear to see just how exhausted Pikachu really feels. Ash grins and gets to his feet.

"Thanks, I won't let you down!"

"Well, this is touching, but we have places to be, Pokémon to steal, you know how it is!" the woman calls. The three thieves are heading towards their getaway car and the cage of Pokémon still sitting on it. _I've got to set the Pokémon free before they drive away with them!_

"Oh no you don't!" Ash yells, acting on instinct. He dashes towards the cage of Pokémon. Ash may not have any Pokémon to do battle with, but if he can avoid the attacks of the enemy Pokémon and reach the cage then he might just be able to dismantle it somehow…!

"Pumpkaboo! Dark Pulse!"

"Inkay, Psybeam!"

Ash dodges the two attacks, trying hard to keep his footing but slides a bit none the less in the mud and wet grass. He wishes he had Magneton or Heliolisk with him to at least give him cover. _You know, Clemont, being able to generate electricity myself would have come in real handy right about now!_ He skids to a stop beside the jeep, climbing up next to the cage.

"Don't you worry, I'll get you out of there soon!" he reassures the trapped Pokémon inside the cage, their worried faces steeling his determination. Ash looks up and down the steel bars, trying to figure out the best place to try and break it. _I think maybe… there!_ He reaches up to grasp a bar, starting to pull on it with all the considerable strength of his robotic nature.

"Hey, hey, we can't have that!" the female Team Rocket member says sharply. "Meowth! Stop him!"

"I'm on it!" the cat Pokémon says, pulling out a remote with a dial knob and a button on it. "This little feature we had added is rather _shocking_ …" Meowth grins, smashing a paw down onto the button.

The cage bars vibrate under Ash's hands for a split-second, which is all the warning he gets before electricity races along the outside of the metal cage, covering both Ash and the Pokémon inside. Ash cries out, not because it hurts but because the sudden appearance of the lightning startles him. Thankfully, Clemont's electric-proofing works wonders once again and Ash sends a mental thank you to the inventor. The robot also can't help comparing this lightning attack to the one Pikachu had hit him with the first time they'd met; compared to that Thunderbolt, _this_ was nothing. Ash is about to scoff – _did they really think something like this would work on me?_ – when he hears the Pokémon _inside_ the cage crying out in pain at the electric attack as well. _They're getting hit by this attack too!_ he realises in wide-eyed horror.

Ash lets go of the cage immediately, and falls backwards from the jeep. He just manages to barely land on his feet. "I'm sorry, everyone, are you alright?!" he exclaims. There's a weak chorus of Pokémon voices in reply.

"Inkay! Tackle!"

The attack catches Ash off guard and knocks him flying. Ash crashes into the rim of the fountain shoulder-first. He hears something _crunch_ and his arm goes numb. The robot pushes himself upright with his remaining good hand and leans back against the fountain, clutching at his shoulder. Ash wonders how badly he's managed to hurt himself as the sensation in his arm flickers between complete numbness and normal functionality.

"Pikapi!" Something small and yellow darts in front of Ash, setting itself squarely between the robot and the trio of thieves. Much to Ash's surprise, it's Pikachu.

"Ah, Pikachu, I told you to stay back and rest…!" Ash protests weakly. "You're not in any condition to fight!"

"Pikachu!" the Pokémon replies fiercely, sparks flying from its cheeks. "Pika pika, pikapi!"

"You… wanna fight together?" Ash says slowly, not sure if he's understanding the wild Pokémon right. He's used to the cooperation of Clemont's Pokémon – his friend has raised all of this Pokémon well – but Pikachu is, after all, a wild Pokémon; not to mention one that seems to be wary of humans. He's surprised that the small Pokémon would even suggest teaming up.

"Pika!" is the emphatic, positive reply.

Surprise or not, there's no way Ash is going to let this Pikachu fight alone. He gets to his feet, testing his arm gingerly. Whatever malfunction had been occurring before to make his arm feel numb, it seems to have fixed itself. "Alright then, partner, let's do this!"

"Ha, this'll be a piece of cake!" the female thief snickers. "Pumpkaboo, use Shadow Ball!"

"Pikachu! Stop it with Thunderbolt!" Ash counters. The bolt of lightning strikes the ball of dark energy head on; the collision results in a huge explosion in mid-air that knocks both Pokémon backward. Pumpkaboo is sent flying full-force into a nearby tree. Ash shields his face with his arms against the smoke and water being blown his way as Pikachu lands safely in front of him. "Good work, Pikachu!" he says in approval. "Keep it up, buddy!"

Pikachu glances over his shoulder at the robot, a fierce grin on the small Pokémon's face. "Pika!"

"Alright, let's attack before they can recover!" Ash says enthusiastically. He quickly scrolls through a mental list of the moves that Pikachu might know before calling out, "Quick Attack!"

Pikachu darts forwards with incredible speed, closing the distance in a split-second between itself and the remaining Pokémon still floating uncertainly in the air. The electric Pokémon leaps, smashing into Inkay before the squid-like Pokémon can even begin to dodge. Inkay spirals backwards, much to the dismay of its Trainer.

"Oh no, Inkay!"

"You're incredible, Pikachu!" the robot exclaims in starry-eyed awe. _Both Pikachu's Thunderbolt and his physical attacks are super strong!_ Ash had been worried that Pikachu was too exhausted to be able to put much force behind any physical attacks, but it appears that isn't the case. Just as well; with this rain, Ash wants to be extra careful about throwing any electric attacks. He and Pikachu might be fine if the rain ends up conducting the electricity, but Team Rocket won't be – not that Ash cares about that – and _much_ more importantly, neither will the Pokémon that are still trapped in the cage. _Hang in there, everyone! We'll free you!_

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices the female thief's Pumpkaboo make its recovery from being blown into the tree. _I can't give it time to recover!_ "Pikachu! Tackle!" Pikachu runs, leaps… and misses, passing straight through Pumpkaboo's body towards the tree behind it. _Ack! I forgot, Pumpkaboo's part Ghost-type!_

Pumpkaboo's Trainer laughs. "Whoops-a-platformy! That Pikachu can't land even a single hit on my Pumpkaboo!"

"Maybe not, but we can do this!" Ash retorts. "Pikachu!" he calls. "Bounce off the tree towards Inkay! Double-force Tackle!"

It's a tricky manoeuvre that requires a sense of good timing and Ash is once again concerned that he's asking too much of the electric Pokémon in its injured state. However, it seems once again he needn't have worried – despite being such a small Pokémon, this Pikachu has a large fighting spirit. At Ash's words, Pikachu manages to flip in mid-air, landing on the tree and pushing off again in the direction of the decidedly non-Ghost type Pokémon. If it hits, this double-force Tackle will have a lot of damaging power behind it.

Unfortunately, despite catching his opponents off-guard with such a turnaround comeback manoeuvre, Inkay's Trainer recovers in enough time to order, "Inkay! Foul Play!"

Inkay dodges the Tackle, wrapping tentacles around a flailing Pikachu and flinging the electric Pokémon down into the mud. Pikachu hits the ground with enough force that the Pokémon bounces before sprawling to a stop in the mud.

"Pikachu!" Ash yells in terror. "Pikachu, are you alright?!" There's a pang inside him as he sees the Pikachu struggling to get back up and he darts forward, focused only on getting to Pikachu's side. _I shouldn't have asked him to battle!_ he berates himself, the horrible clenched feeling inside his chest squeezing tighter. From behind him, he hears Team Rocket call out another attack:

"Pumpkaboo, Shadow Ball!"

"Psybeam!"

"PIKACHU!" Ash yells. _Pikachu will be hurt even more badly if that attack hits!_ He dives forward to shield the small Pokémon as Pikachu struggles to move out of the way, sweeping Pikachu into his arms and curling up in a tight ball. It's not a moment too soon; the combined Psybeam and Dark Wave combo slam into Ash's back a split-second later, making him cry out in pain. Tucked in the protective circle of his arms, Pikachu pats at his chest worriedly.

"Pikapi!"

Ash opens one eye. "I'm okay, buddy, don't worry," he says weakly. "No matter what they throw at us… I'll definitely protect you!"

"Pikapi…"

Team Rocket watches as the robot uncurls and gets to hands and knees, still shielding the Pikachu with his body. "Tch! Stubborn twerp!" Jessie says in annoyance. "Pumpkaboo, Shadow Ball!"

Ash squeezes his eyes shut, digging fingers into the mud as he braces for the attack to hit. Pikachu looks up at him with worried eyes. _No! I won't let them hurt Pikachu or the others any more!_ he thinks fiercely.

In the middle of a flower garden tucked away in Lumiose City, something explodes.

" _Pikapi!_ "

* * *

 _Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn~_

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

Bonnie is kicking her heels against the legs of the bench she's sitting on when the automated doors to Prism Tower slide open effortlessly and her brother runs in, arms over his head in a futile attempt to ward off the heavy rain.

"Clemont!" she yells, leaping off the seat and hurrying over. Clemont lowers his arms as she reaches him and offers up a towel. "Here, you're soaked!"

'Soaked' is an understatement. His blonde hair is plastered wetly to his cheeks; even the strand of hair that usually sticks up is flattened to his head, weighed down by the rain. His clothes are in a similar state and there's already a puddle of water forming under his feet. It's a wonder the older blonde can even see out of his glasses, coated as they are in droplets of water. _Clemont must be super worried about Ash, to go out without even an umbrella or any of his inventions to keep off the rain._ Bonnie bites her lip. She's worried too.

Clemont accepts the towel with a grateful murmur of thanks, trying to dry his hair at least a little bit with it. Although she can already guess the answer given that Ash isn't here next to her brother, Bonnie still asks urgently, "Did you find him?!"

Her brother pauses in his efforts to dry himself off and shakes his head, expression worried. "No… and it seems he hasn't returned on his own, either." He glances around the empty lobby before looking through the glass doors at the pouring rain outside. It's even thicker now than it was before; Clemont can barely make out the shops on the other side of the plaza. The thought of Ash being caught out in this… Clemont takes a deep breath, trying to stifle the rising panic starting to grip his heart. "Lumiose is a big city; he could be anywhere… but searching in this rain is impossible…"

"I hope he's okay…" Bonnie says in a small voice. Her hand seeks out the sleeve of his jumpsuit, drawing Clemont's attention away from the rain. He looks down and sees the tears starting to form in his sister's eyes; the same fear and worry that plagues Clemont in her heart as well. Clemont drops to one knee in front of her, uncaring about the puddle he lands in. It's not like getting a bit more wet at this stage will make any difference.

He squeezes both her shoulders gently in lieu of an actual hug; he's not sure she'd appreciate him getting her wet too. "I'm worried too," he says seriously, and tries to smile reassuringly. "But I'm sure he'll be okay. This is Ash we're talking about, after all."

Surprisingly, Bonnie hurls herself at Clemont to hug him tightly, heedless of the water that's now soaking through her clothes as well. Clemont wraps his arms around her and hugs back just as tightly, trying to comfort his sister despite his own worry. "I'm sure he's taken shelter somewhere and is just waiting for the rain to finish," he says reassuringly as she clings to him. "He'll be alright, Bonnie."

"Y-yeah," she agrees, voice muffled by his clothes. "I'm sure he's okay." They remain like that for a while, Clemont running a comforting hand up and down his sister's back and trying to ignore his own worry sitting like lead in his stomach as the rain roars down outside. Finally, he feels Bonnie's grip on him relax and she pulls back enough that he can see her face.

Clemont smiles. "Come on, I've got you all wet now too. Let's both go and dry off, and when the rain stops, we'll go out and look for him again, okay?" Bonnie nods and takes his hand as Clemont stands up. As they make their way to the elevator – Clemont's shoes squelching against the floor with every step – Clemont casts a worried glance back towards the doors. _Please come home safely, Ash!_

/\/\/\

Team Rocket's attack never hits.

Instead, from somewhere out of Ash's sight a deep voice calls out, "Flamethrower!"

There's an intense burst of heat against Ash's back and he instantly drops down into the mud to shield Pikachu better with his body. It's just as well he does, for a second later there's an explosion right above them as the three attacks collide.

When the smoke clears, Ash sits up and looks down at Pikachu. "Pikachu, are you alright?" Pikachu nods, but Ash can see that the Pokémon is breathing heavily. He reaches out tentatively to pick Pikachu up, ready to draw back if it seems like Pikachu doesn't want to be picked up. The electric Pokémon doesn't protest, so Ash lets his arms circle around Pikachu, resting the Pokémon on his lap.

With Pikachu now safe with him, the robot glances around the clearing. _What just happened?_

One of the Pokémon thieves echoes Ash's thoughts aloud. "What just happened…?"

"Look, up there!" Meowth says, pointing a finger towards a tall tree on the edge of the clearing.

Ash squints upwards into the sun _– wait, the sun?!_ – and sees two figures standing on one of the branches of the tree. There's two strange Pokémon standing there; he thinks the one on the right is a Blaziken, but his internal Pokédex just flashes _'Entry not found'_ when he tries to confirm his guess. It's not until the figure on the left turns towards him and Pikachu and calls, "Are you both alright?" that he realises it's actually just a human dressed in a mask and costume that matches the Pokémon at their side.

"Hey! Just who do you think you are anyway, butting in on our battle like that?!" Meowth demands in annoyance. Neither the two newcomers nor Ash pays him any attention.

"Ah, yeah, we're alright," Ash calls back. After Team Rocket's introduction, he's half expecting this new arrival to break out into a motto or something. Still, they had saved him and Pikachu from Team Rocket's attacks, so that meant the newcomers probably aren't bad guys.

The red-haired thief scowls. "Hey, don't ignore us!" she says peevishly. "Pumpkaboo!"

However, before the pumpkin-shaped Pokémon can muster up another attack, the masked person turns to the Blaziken beside them and says something. The Blaziken nods and leaps high into the sky. Ash cranes his head back, trying to keep track with the Pokémon's movements. _Whoa!_ _That's some incredible jumping power!_ Blaziken drops back down, kicking out at the Ghost-type Pokémon with a leg wreathed in flame. Pumpkaboo is knocked backwards into its Trainer, fainting from the damage dealt.

"Ah! Jessie!" the other thief says, sounding worried. The Blaziken leaps back up onto the branch beside its Trainer.

 _That was Blaze Kick!_ Ash blinks in surprise. _Maybe that Pokémon really is just a Blaziken… but it still looks nothing like what a normal Blaziken should look like!_

The Pokémon's odd appearance isn't the only strange thing going on right now. No longer distracted by the new arrivals, Ash is suddenly aware that it's not raining anymore – not only that, but it's _sunny_. The sudden weather change wouldn't be that strange if it weren't for that fact that Ash can quite clearly see it still raining heavily on the outskirts of the garden clearing. Sunshine streams down through a small, circular gap in the clouds directly overhead. Ash doesn't know much about weather, but even he can guess that normal rainclouds don't behave like this.

He eyes the tall Pokémon. _Blaziken is a Fire-type Pokémon…_ A stroke of sudden understanding hits him. _Could this be Sunny Day?_ It would certainly help explain the power behind the Pokémon's attacks – Sunny Day boosts Fire-type moves, after all.

"Tch! Come on, we got some Pokémon, so let's forget Pikachu and get outta here!" Meowth exclaims, jumping down from its perch on the rim of the fountain and hurrying towards the jeep.

"Ah! The cage with the Pokémon!" Ash calls out to the Blaziken duo, staggering to his feet.

The masked person nods in understanding and sweeps their hand out towards the jeep and cage, commanding, "Mega Blaziken, destroy that cage!"

The Blaziken – _did he say 'Mega Blaziken'? What's that?_ – leaps into action once more, striking the cage with a powerful kick. _Even with Sunny Day, that Blaziken sure is powerful!_ Ash thinks in awe as the steel bars of the large cage crumple like paper, leaving a large hole for the Pokémon inside to escape through. The garden Pokémon waste no time in doing just that, streaming out of the cage and hurrying further into the flower garden to hide safely. "Yeah! Alright!" Ash cheers, echoed by Pikachu.

"Arghhh, how dare you! We worked hard to steal all those Pokémon!" the red-haired woman says angrily. "James! Do something!"

"Uh – Inkay, use Psybeam!" her partner says.

"Oh, no you don't!" Ash replies immediately. "Pikachu, you up for it?"

Pikachu jumps out of Ash's arms, landing on all fours with cheeks sparking. "Pika!" it replies determinedly.

"That's the spirit! Thunderbolt!" Ash orders. The Thunderbolt strikes the squid-like Pokémon directly and it faints. The purple haired thief – _James?_ – recalls it immediately and leaps after his other two partners who are already running for their getaway vehicle.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu says urgently. The robot has no trouble understanding what Pikachu is trying to say because he feels exactly the same way.

"Like we'd let you run away that easily!" Ash echoes. He points towards Team Rocket as they scramble into the jeep. "Pikachu! Thunderbolt, one more time!" Pikachu leaps into the air, taking advantage of the lack of rain to let loose all his frustration and anger. It's a truly impressive Thunderbolt that strikes the jeep and Team Rocket, creating an explosion that sends the trio of Pokémon thieves flying off into the sky.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again…!" Ash hears faintly as they disappear from view.

He lets out a long breath, sagging in relief. "Good riddance to them, huh, Pikachu?" he says to the Pokémon at his feet. Pikachu sticks his tongue out in the direction Team Rocket had disappeared off into, making Ash laugh. "You did a great job!" he says with a big grin, reaching down to pat Pikachu on the head. "You and that Blaziken both… Ah, that reminds me!"

He turns towards the tree, intending to thank Blaziken and the masked Trainer for helping them and saving the other Pokémon, but the duo have disappeared. "Aw…" Ash says, disappointed that he's apparently lost the chance to check out a new Pokémon he's never seen before up close. Still, on the off-chance the two are still hanging around somewhere, Ash cups his hands around his mouth and yells with all his might, "Thanks to both of you for saving us!"

There's no reply, but that doesn't stop Ash from feeling that somehow the masked Trainer and Pokémon had heard his grateful thanks. He nods to himself with a smile before his attention is caught by some bushes rustling nearby. A second later, an Oddish pokes its head out and looks cautiously around.

"It's okay, you can come out now! Those guys are gone!" Ash tells the Grass Pokémon. It jerks back into the bush at the sound of his voice. Ash sighs. _I guess all the Pokémon are gonna be nervous after getting captured like that…_

However, a few seconds later the Oddish reappears, this time trailed by a group of the garden's other Pokémon. The wild Pokémon cluster around Ash and Pikachu, chattering happily to the electric Pokémon at Ash's feet. Ash crouches down to their level. "Is everyone okay?" he asks the group of Pokémon in concern, but the response is a chorus of positive replies. Ash sighs in relief, glad to see that they do all look mostly unharmed, if a bit bedraggled.

"Pikapi…"

Ash looks over just in time to see Pikachu collapse. "Ah! Pikachu!" He reaches out in a panic and catches the electric Pokémon before it can hit the ground. The other Pokémon cluster around him in concern as he cradles Pikachu in his arms.

Even without using any of his advanced scanning sensors, his surface 'human' senses can tell him that Pikachu is in very bad shape. The small Pokémon's breathing is laboured as it curls in on itself within the circle of his arms. Close up, Ash sees all the scrapes and bruises that Pikachu must have taken in the battle. "Pikachu…" he whispers, that awful feeling back in his chest.

Raindrops start to fall again as the effects of Sunny Day wear off now that Blaziken is no longer around to sustain the effect. Overhead, clouds dark with rain roll in to cover the sunshine as Ash bows his head, water running down his cheeks. _I'm so sorry, Pikachu, I should have protected you better…!_

In the end, the only thing that stops him from breaking down completely is the fact that Pikachu needs medical treatment, and _fast_. "We need to get to a Pokémon Center!" the robot cries. Ash glances around wildly, trying to remember the previous time he had come here with Clemont and Bonnie. _I think we're nearest Jaune Plaza at the moment_ , he decides, biting his lip as he calculates distances in his head. _But that means we're ages away from any of the Pokémon Centers around the city! Pikachu… might not be able to make it that far…_ Ash looks down at the injured Pokémon in his arms; Pikachu is still labouring for breath. "Ahhhh, what should I do, what should I do?!" he wails above the cries of concern from the watching wild Pokémon. "If only Clemont were here…" Clemont would know what to do and he probably wouldn't be panicking as much as Ash is now.

 _Clemont… Oh!_

"Wait, I know! I can go there!" he exclaims, an idea blooming in the back of his mind at the thought of the inventor. Ash furiously recalculates distances. _It just might work… it's worth a shot, anyway!_ He looks down at the Pokémon clustered at his feet, all of them looking up at Pikachu and Ash in worry. "I'll make sure Pikachu is taken care of, I promise!" Ash tells them. "All of you, please take care. Don't let Team Rocket get their dirty hands on you again!"

With a chorus of agreement ringing behind him, Ash dashes out of the flower garden. "Please hang on, Pikachu!" he begs the electric Pokémon in his arms as he runs. "Just a little bit more!" Now that he's outside the garden completely and thus the remnants of Blaziken's Sunny Day, the rain is falling just as hard as it was when he was running to Pikachu's aid. Ash's shoulder twinges and his arm goes numb again for a moment before returning to normal. Ash ignores it – Pikachu needs help.

 _Come on, come on, where is it? I know there was meant to be one around here somewhere…_ Ash frowns to himself, switching back to the monochromatic vision he'd used earlier to search through the falling rain. He spots the familiar cylindrical booth shape further up the street and puts on an extra spurt of speed until he's standing before it.

Sure enough, it's a Clemontic Shower. After Clemont and Bonnie had shown him one on his first trip outside, Ash had been interested enough to want to learn more about them and Clemont had been more than happy to show him how they worked and where they were located around the city. Clemont has pride in all of his inventions, but it is clear to see that the Showers hold a special place in the young inventor's heart.

Remembering how Pikachu's electric attacks had shone like a star in his thermal vision, Ash switches back to normal human vision before stepping up to the Shower. "I know you're low on energy at the moment," he tells Pikachu, unsure if the injured Pokémon can hear him. "You gotta absorb some of this electricity to help you until we can get to a Pokémon Center." He tries to lay Pikachu down inside the booth but the Pokémon clings to him with surprising strength. "Don't be scared, Pikachu," Ash implores gently. "Please?"

" _Chuuuu_ ," Pikachu says weakly, burrowing further into his chest. Ash sighs. It seems that there's nothing else for it.

"Look, I'll get in with you," he volunteers. True to his word, Ash climbs inside the Clemontic Shower and settles down cross-legged with Pikachu laying on his lap. _At least in here it's dry._ His clothes are dripping water all over the floor inside; Ash winces and sends Clemont a mental apology for messing up one of his inventions.

Getting inside a Clemontic Shower like this would be extremely dangerous for a human to do, so it's just as well that Ash is no mere human. Watching the play of lightning from the inside of the Shower as it starts to activate is a fascinating experience, but Ash doesn't have the luxury of sitting back to watch it today. All of his attention is focused on the Pikachu in his lap, as waves of electricity wash over the Pokémon's fur. The electrical waves crawl over Ash's body as well and he can feel it as a small tingle against his skin, but it seems that his electrical-proofing is holding up just as well as his water-proofing had been.

 _Hang in there, Pikachu_ , he wills the small Pokémon. _Show me that fighting spirit of yours!_ He watches with baited breath as Pikachu's breathing patterns become easier – the Pokémon is still breathing heavily from the pain of its injuries, but at least it is no longer struggling to breathe. The electricity slowly fades away.

"Does that feel better, buddy?" Ash asks softly. He runs a gentle hand over the Pokémon's fur, trying to brush away the excess water. Ash breathes a sigh of relief when Pikachu stirs and opens its eyes again, blinking up at him. "Come on, we need to get you to a Pokémon Center really soon though!"

Pikachu shakes its head, curling up even tighter in his arms. " _Chuuuu."_

"But, Pikachu –"

" _Chuuuu."_ The instant reply is more emphatic this time and the small Pokémon manages an impressive glare up at Ash despite still looking weak. Ash feels torn – on one hand, Pikachu _really_ does need proper medical aid and the Pokémon Center will ensure that Pikachu gets the best possible care. On the other hand... Pikachu has trusted Ash this far and Ash doesn't want to betray that trust by taking Pikachu to the Pokémon Center against the Pokémon's wishes. He doesn't know _why_ Pikachu won't go to a Pokémon Center – _maybe it has to do with the scar on his tail?_ – but if that's what Pikachu wants...

Ash sighs, shoulders slumping in surrender. "Alright, alright, no Pokémon Centers, I get it." Pikachu eyes him suspiciously for a few moments. Apparently, the electric Pokémon decides to believe that Ash is telling the truth, because he closes his eyes again and snuggles into Ash's arms more comfortably. Ash smiles faintly at the action and holds the Pokémon close as he leans back against the wall and stares up at the roof of the booth, chewing on his lip thoughtfully as he tries to figure out what to do next.

Back at the Tower, whenever one of the Pokémon had been hurt – whether a Gym match or a practice match or just in play – they'd been taken to the Pokémon Center to recover properly if the injury was serious; otherwise, Clemont is fairly adept at patching his Pokémon up himself if it's only a minor injury. He'd started to teach Ash the basics recently, but Ash was pretty sure Pikachu's injuries were beyond his level of knowledge to heal. Not to mention that because he hadn't taken any of Clemont's Pokémon with him when he left the Tower, he hadn't brought along any recovery items either. _What should I do?_

He realises he's staring at the electrical nodes that line the inside wall of the Clemont Shower and looks away, biting his lip. There's one place he could go, but now he's not so sure of his welcome there anymore. _Still_ , Ash thinks pensively, stroking Pikachu's ears idly to comfort the Pokémon as it shifts in his arms. _Clemont might be mad at me for quitting like that and leaving, but there is no way either he or Bonnie would_ ever _leave a Pokémon to suffer if it was in pain._

"Well, I guess it's back to Prism Tower then," Ash says in resignation to Pikachu. The Pokémon's ears twitch, but Pikachu is too deep in sleep to give a response. The amount of trust that Pikachu is placing in him while in such a vulnerable state is what finally propels Ash to his feet. He eyes the rain and strips off his jacket to wrap it around Pikachu. It's not much protection, and Pikachu is already soaked, but at least this will stop the electric Pokémon from getting even _more_ wet. It's not like Ash needs to worry about the rain – if it hasn't shorted his circuits out yet then it's unlikely to do so. As always, despite Clemont's worries, the inventor has done a wonderfully thorough job.

 _I should thank him_ , Ash thinks, making sure Pikachu is well covered before stepping out of the booth and straight into the rain. His hair immediately flattens and sticks to his skin and he pulls a face. _Well,_ the robot amends mentally, _after I apologise for what I said. I like being a Gym Leader… but while I really do want to become a Pokémon Master, I don't want to hurt Clemont and Bonnie in the process either._ Having his friends – his _family_ – mad at him is a miserable thought.

Ash looks up at the tall, shadowy form of Prism Tower almost hidden in the gloomy rain. Prism Tower was so far away... would Pikachu make it in time?

"Ash...? Ash!"

At the sound of someone calling his name, Ash jolts and looks around wildly for the speaker. He blinks in surprise when he sees Clemont's father, wrapped up well in a thick raincoat and hood, seated on his motor scooter on the edge of the road.

"Meyer!" Ash calls in surprise. He ducks his head as he runs over. Of all the people he thought he might come across in the rain – which was literally no-one, because apparently only thieves and masked vigilantes and Ash run around in the rain – Clemont's dad was definitely not one of them. _Ahhhh I hope he didn't notice where I was standing!_ Ash thinks guiltily, remembering that Meyer still doesn't know that Ash isn't human. _I should have checked that there was no-one around before I stepped out of there… although what were the chances of anyone being around? Why is Clemont's dad even out here in the rain?!_

"Ash! Are you alright?" Meyer yells over the sound of the rain. "Why in the world are you walking around in this kind of weather?"

"I'm fine, but Pikachu's not!" Ash replies at a similar volume. "He got hurt bad, he needs help!"

Meyer looks gravely down at the yellow Pokémon bundled in Ash's arms, badly scratched up and shivering in the cold. Ash is doing the best he can to shield Pikachu from the rain with his own body. "What happened?"

Ash looks at him in anguish. "There were these Pokémon thieves and I tried to stop them and Pikachu jumped in to protect me even though he was hurt and he got even _more_ hurt..." The boy's shoulders are shaking now. "Please, I've got to help him!"

Meyer was Clemont's dad, and Clemont is the smartest person that Ash knows _._ Surely he'd know what to do… ? Ash really hopes so, in any case. The robot is so distracted with worry that he doesn't immediately understand what Meyer means when he gestures to the seat behind him where Ampharos usually sits on his motor scooter.

"Hop on," Meyer clarifies kindly at Ash's confusion. "I'll drive you both to the Pokémon Center!"

Ash shakes his head, although he's immensely grateful for the offer of help. "Thank you, but Pikachu won't go!"

"What?!"

Ash shakes his head apologetically again, looking down at the coat-wrapped Pikachu nestling in his arms. "Pikachu refuses to go near a Pokémon Center!" he explains, shouting over a rumble of thunder. "I don't know why! I was going to try and make it back to Prism Tower but…" The robot glances helplessly towards the rising form of Prism Tower in the distance.

Meyer 'hrms', his face serious as he thinks. "If a Pokémon Center is no good, then my house is closer than Prism Tower," he offers. "I can help with some of Pikachu's injuries."

Ash brightens. If Clemont's level of skill is any indication of his father's, then Pikachu will be in good hands. "Can you?!" he asks desperately. "Please, help Pikachu!"

This time, Ash clambers on quickly when Meyer nods to the seat behind him and cradles Pikachu to his chest. The second Ash is seated securely, Meyer speeds off with a "Hold on tight!" thrown over his shoulder. Riding pillion like this is awkward, but Ash holds equally tightly to Clemont's father and Pikachu both.

Still, there's something he really wants to know. It's still unbelievably small odds that Meyer would be driving on the same street as Ash, after all. "How did you find me?" he calls over the sound of the rain and the scooter itself.

"What?" Meyer calls back. Ash repeats the question. "Oh! I was driving back from a delivery when I saw you!" Clemont's father explains. "This kind of weather is fairly unusual for Lumiose City – it's dangerous to be out in it!"

"Thank you very much for helping us!" Ash calls sincerely.

"Well, you should always help a Pokémon in need!" Meyer tells him. "Besides," he laughs. "Clemont and Bonnie would be mad at me if I left one of their friends out in the rain!"

/\/\/\

"I live above the shop," Meyer explains as he and Ash spill through the entrance to Meyer's electrical appliance shop. "Just through there – ah, Ampharos, could you get the first aid kit please?" he asks as the big yellow Pokémon hurries into the storefront worriedly.

"Ryuu!" Ampharos disappears back up the stairs.

Although this is the first time Ash has seen the store that Clemont's father owns, the robot has neither the time nor the inclination to look around as he follows Meyer quickly up the stairs. He barely remembers to take his shoes off at the door at the top of the stairs; he hurriedly shoves them off as Meyer disappears into one of the rooms further down the hallway.

Ampharos reappears from another room, carrying a white kit with a red cross on it. "Ryuuu," the Pokémon says, beckoning to Ash, who is still standing at the doorway. He pads down the hallway in bare feet after Ampharos, Pikachu still wrapped up securely in his arms. A photo they pass by distracts Ash for a moment: it's a younger Clemont and Bonnie standing with their father. _That's right,_ he thinks, catching up with Ampharos again. _Clemont and Bonnie would have lived here before they moved to the Gym in Prism Tower…_

He forgets the photo entirely a few moments later when Ampharos turns into one of the rooms. "Thank you, Ampharos," Meyer says as they walk inside, taking the first-aid kit from the electric Pokémon. Clemont's father indicates a few blankets and towels laid out across a couch. "Ash, could you lay Pikachu down here please?"

Ash nods, kneeling beside the couch to carefully unwrap Pikachu from his water-laden coat and gently lay the Pokémon on top of the towels, doing his best not to jostle Pikachu too much. He backs up and moves out of Meyer's way as the other man takes Ash's spot beside the couch, peering intently at the injured Pokémon. "Ampharos, more light, please?" Meyer asks absently without taking his gaze off of Pikachu.

Ampharos trills and the light on the end of its tail starts to glow brightly. It holds it over Pikachu and Meyer murmurs his thanks. _Wow, I guess that's why they call it the Light Pokémon…_ Ash thinks in awe, having to look away from the bright light. He notices the room around him for the first time; there's the big couch Pikachu is laying on and a desk wedged into the corner and boxes are piled _everywhere_. Ash can't work out if it's meant to be a bedroom or a storage room; it reminds him of Clemont's workshop back at the Tower.

He pokes a box cautiously – Ash has learnt to be careful after he poked a box in said workshop and it _exploded in his face_ , much to Clemont's dismay – but when it proves to be both solid and non-explosive, he takes a seat and watches Meyer heal Pikachu.

 _Hang in there, buddy! I know you're strong; you can get through this!_

After what seems like forever, Meyer finally sits back with a sigh and accepts a glass of water from Ampharos with grateful thanks. "Is Pikachu going to be okay?" Ash asks, immediately on his feet in worry. He jumps slightly when Ampharos taps his shoulder; when he looks at the Pokémon questioningly, Ampharos offers him a towel. "Ah, thanks, Ampharos," Ash says, taking it. "Sorry about dripping water all over your floor," he adds sheepishly.

"Ryuu ryu!" Ampharos trills, waving an arm at him in a clear 'don't worry about it' manner.

Meyer looks towards them. "You should change into something dry soon as well Ash, or you'll catch a cold," he adds, sounding concerned. Ash couldn't care less about his own health at the moment – not to mention that it's literally impossible for him to catch a cold, not that Meyer knew that.

"Ah, I'll do that for sure, but first please tell me about Pikachu!" Ash begs. "Will he be alright?"

Clemont's dad sighs, glancing back towards Pikachu as he rubs a hand over the back of his neck. "Pikachu was very badly injured, but this little guy is a tough one. I think he'll be okay."

Desperation, fear and worry all dispel into an overwhelming rush of relief that has Ash sighing so hard he practically melts to the floor. "Thank goodness!" Ash whispers emphatically. He never would have forgiven himself if Pikachu had gotten so injured while defending him that there was no chance of recovery. "Thank you so much, Mr Meyer! You saved him."

Ash picks himself up off the floor, suddenly feeling exhausted all of a sudden – which is odd, because his energy levels are still fairly high. He crouches down beside the couch to watch Pikachu sleep. Even with the bandages, the electric Pokémon looks like he's doing better: Pikachu's colour has improved and his breathing is less laboured now than it was before. Ash smiles, remembering how fiercely Pikachu had battled to save his friends. "You did an incredible job back there against those thieves," he tells Pikachu, his voice quiet so as not to wake the sleeping Pokémon. "All the other Pokémon are safe, because of you. I'm so proud of you, Pikachu." Ash rests a hand gently on Pikachu's body, feeling reassured by the steady in-out of the Pokémon's breathing under his hand. "You take a nice long rest now, you hear?" Pikachu's ears twitch, but doesn't wake up. Ash withdraws his hand and settles himself on the floor next to the couch, fully intending to sit by Pikachu's side until the Pokémon wakes up again. His arm twinges again but Ash ignores it, propping his chin up on his knees.

Meyer takes his time packing up the first aid kit, giving his son's friend a moment of privacy with the injured Pokémon the boy has been trying so hard to save. When everything is put away, however, he sits down next to Ash. "How did Pikachu end up like this?"

There's no accusation in the older man's voice or any indication at all that he thinks Ash would mistreat a Pokémon, just concerned curiosity. Even so, Ash looks down at the floor, a downcast expression on his face. "He was trying to protect me and his other Pokémon friends," he says dispiritedly and proceeds to tell Meyer the whole story about the garden and the trio of thieves, their battle and the appearance of the mysterious masked person and equally mysterious Pokémon that saved all of them.

Meyer listens to the entire story, occasionally voicing a reaction but otherwise not interrupting the flow of words. When Ash's voice trails off at the end of the explanation, Meyer remains silent for a few moments before breathing out heavily and then, surprisingly, reaching over to ruffle Ash's hair. The gesture of comfort has Ash jolting in surprise and he turns to look wide-eyed at Clemont's dad. "Meyer…?"

"You and Pikachu both did your very best," Meyer says with a warm smile. "And you defeated a team of thieves. That's nothing to sneeze at!"

Ash looks away. "I didn't do much, it's mostly thanks to Pikachu and that other Pokémon." He directs a fond smile towards the small Pokémon curled up on the couch. "Pikachu was amazing!"

"Pikachu is a wild Pokémon, right?" Meyer asks. Ash nods in reply without looking up. Meyer continues, "And yet he still teamed up with you. Clearly Pikachu sees something in you worth his trust."

Ash's head jerks up and he gives Meyer a startled glance before blinking and looking back at Pikachu with a considering look on his face. "I guess…"

They sit in silence for a while, listening to the sound of the rain pouring down outside as Ash watches Pikachu breathe steadily in and out. Ampharos comes in again; the Pokémon and Meyer carry on a quick and quiet discussion, but Ash doesn't pay much attention to it. He thinks about Clemont and Bonnie, still back at Prism Tower, and hopes that the two of them are okay. _Especially Bonnie, she hates thunder._ He hopes he hasn't caused them too much trouble by leaving without a word.

Ampharos bustles out again, snapping Ash out of his thoughts. "Um, Meyer…" he asks hesitantly. "Could you ring Clemont and let him know I'm alright?"

Meyer blinks in surprise. "Sure, but don't you want to ring him yourself?"

Ash hunches his shoulders, looking down at the floor forlornly. "Ah, no, I… I don't think he'd wanna to talk to me right now." He hesitates. "Clemont and I had a fight, you see…"

"A fight?" Meyer repeats, taken aback. "That doesn't sound like Clemont."

Ash shakes his head. "It's my fault. I just got really mad at him for not seeing my point of view, so I left the Tower for a bit without telling anyone. Then the storm hit and Pikachu needed help." He sighs. "Clemont's probably still mad at me…"

"I doubt it." Clemont's dad smiles kindly when Ash glances up at him, startled. "Clemont's got a kind heart; he never stays mad for long," the man explains. "You're an important friend of his, after all, and fighting with a friend is never a good feeling."

"Tell me about it!" Ash groans, putting his head in his hands.

Meyer chuckles, laying a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Whatever happened, I'm sure that Clemont is probably very worried about you. I'm sure you two will make up."

"Yeah, I know…" the robot sighs glumly. _I hope so, in any case. Clemont will forgive me if I apologise… right? I just don't want him to be mad at me anymore._

With a sympathetic pat to Ash's shoulder, Meyer gets to his feet. "I'll go call Clemont now," he says over his shoulder as he heads for the door.

"Thank you!" Ash says gratefully. "And thank you for helping Pikachu too!"

Meyer waves away his thanks. "Ah, it's nothing, I'm glad I could help. You stay here and watch over Pikachu while I call Clemont." Ash nods, turning back to his charge and Meyer closes the door behind him quietly, leaving the dark haired boy to watch over the injured Pikachu. He heads towards the phone immediately, thanking Ampharos again for its help when they cross paths. Meyer knows his son – if Ash really did leave Prism Tower without telling anyone right before this terrible storm hit, then Clemont is certainly worrying about his friend right now.

His thought are confirmed when the phone rings and rings until finally his son picks up. It's fairly common for Clemont to take a while to pick up the phone – his son is busy with important Gym Leader duties, after all, and also has a bad habit of tuning the world out when he's working on his inventions – but Meyer has never seen his son look this anxious before. Although Clemont's clothes are dry, his hair is soaked; droplets of water still dripping from the strands onto a towel around his neck. Maybe his son has just come from a shower, but Meyer has a shrewd idea that Clemont has just come from a very different kind of shower. _You really have a kind heart, Clemont._ Meyer doesn't know whether to be proud of his son for going to such lengths to search for his friend, or to reprimand him for going out in such dangerous weather. "Clemont!"

"Papa!" Clemont says in surprise. His son tries his best to hide his feelings behind a smile, but Clemont has never been particularly good at lying. "Is everything alright? Are you and Ampharos okay?"

"We're both fine," Meyer reassures him.

Clemont sighs in relief. "Thank goodness! I'm glad you're both okay." His son looks off-screen for a moment before looking back at the video display, biting his lip. "Um, now isn't really a good time –"

He's interrupted by Bonnie, who jumps in between her brother and the screen and stands on tip-toe to see her father better. "Papa! Have you seen Ash anywhere?" she asks urgently, face filling the screen.

"Bonnie!" Clemont scolds, putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her back until both of them are visible on-screen. "Ah – Ash is – that is, Bonnie meant – we can't find –" Clemont stops and takes a deep breath, visibly trying to calm down. "Ash is missing!" he blurts out. "We're worried that he might be out in the storm somewhere –"

"Ash is here," Meyer interrupts calmly.

"– and the storm is –" Clemont cuts off, eyes going wide as his father's words finally register. "Wait, Ash is there?!" He leans in towards the screen frantically. "Is he okay?! Can I talk to him?!"

"Don't worry, Clemont, he's fine," Meyer reassures him. "A bit wet, but okay. He ran into a bit of trouble, apparently, but he ended up rescuing a hurt Pikachu as well. He's watching over it in your old room."

"But he's okay?" Clemont persists, wanting to make sure.

"Yes," Meyer answers, watching as both his children sigh and share a relieved smile with one another and smiles to himself. _Ash, I really don't think you need to be worried about either of them being mad at you_ , he thinks at the boy in the other room. _The three of you seem to have a strong bond; it would take more than a small fight to break it._ His eyes water for a moment with intense pride in his children for making such a strong friendship.

"He says he'll wait out the rain here and go back to Prism Tower when it clears up," he adds when Clemont and Bonnie finally return their attention to him. "The rain's a bit heavy to be running around in at the moment."

Clemont laughs sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Y-yes…"

"Can we talk to him?" Bonnie says eagerly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

"Well…" Meyer hesitates. It's his turn to scratch the back of his head as he tries to figure out how to word his response. "He thought you two might not want to talk to him…"

"Huh? Why?!" Bonnie exclaims, pouting. "As if we wouldn't want to talk to him!"

"He said you two had a fight?" Meyer answers, half a question.

Clemont looks down in shame and mumbles, "Ah… yes, that's true…" He toes at the ground with a shoe.

Bonnie crosses her arms, turning her back on Clemont. "Geez, Clemont!" she complains. "This is all your fault!"

Clemont flinches visibly at her words. "But that's why I have to talk to him!" he insists, clenching his fists as hurt changes to determination. "I want to apologise."

"I can go and get him now if you want to talk to him?" Meyer offers, gesturing to the door down the hall, but Clemont shakes his head.

"No, I want to apologise face to face," his son replies. "Papa, I'm coming over there right now!"

"In this weather?" Meyer asks, startled. "Clemont, no, you shouldn't be out in this kind of dangerous weather!"

"This is too important to wait," Clemont replies stubbornly. He looks down at Bonnie, voice softening. "Bonnie, you'll be alright by yourself here, won't you?"

Bonnie nods. "Yeah! Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You go and bring Ash home, got it?"

Clemont nods. "I will, I promise."

 _Good for you, Clemont!_ Meyer thinks, watching his children talk. _Sort things out with Ash man-to-man._ When it looks like the conversation between the two is finishing, he speaks up. "Clemont, take care on your way here. Ash and I will wait for you."

"Thanks, Papa. I'll see you both soon." Beside Clemont, Bonnie waves enthusiastically as her brother hangs up the phone and the screen goes blank. Meyer smiles to himself – both of his children are growing into fine young people – and heads back to the other room to let Ash know that Clemont is on his way.

/\/\/\

Ash is still sitting next to Pikachu on the floor watching the injured Pokémon sleep when he hears frantic knocking at the door some time later. _I wonder if that's Clemont?_ he wonders. _Meyer did say he was coming as soon as he could, but it's still pouring out there!_

Still, if it _is_ Clemont, Ash should go out there and apologise to him. Even if it means facing a Clemont who is probably still mad at him from this morning. Ash sighs – _I don't wanna!_ – and runs a hand across Pikachu's fur. "If you can be brave, then so can I, buddy," he tells the electric Pokémon, smiling as he makes a contented ' _chuuu_ ' in its sleep. He gets to his feet and edges towards the door, feeling more apprehensive with every step closer. Would Clemont yell at him? Was he really mad? Meyer had said he wasn't, but…

Taking a deep breath, Ash peeks around the doorway.

It _is_ Clemont. He's slipping his shoes off his feet at the door as he talks to Meyer. It's only when he focuses properly on Clemont that Ash realises his friend is absolutely drenched to the bone; bedraggled with wet hair plastered to skin and dripping water all over the floor. Clemont seems exhausted as well, leaning on the wall for support even after his shoes are off. _Did he run all the way here from Prism Tower in the rain?_ Ash wonders, guilt welling up inside him. _Why? He could have just waited until the storm passed…_ If Clemont gets sick because he was running out and about in the rain, then _that_ will be Ash's fault too.

Then he notices just how _worried_ Clemont looks – not just his face, but his posture and his movements and the cadence of his voice as well – and feels a second stab of guilt. That's his doing too. _Well, time to face the music, I guess…_ He steps reluctantly out into the hallway.

Meyer spots his appearance almost immediately and points in his direction, saying something quietly to Clemont. His friend spins around so fast it's a miracle he doesn't fall over. "Ash!" Relief flashes across the pale face and then Clemont is rushing towards him, heedless of the water trail he leaves in his wake.

Ash braces himself for the lecture and the yelling that is sure to come next; there's no way that Clemont isn't mad at him for all the trouble he's caused since leaving the Tower by himself. So it throws Ash completely off guard when Clemont doesn't do any of that. Instead, Clemont practically crashes into Ash, arms wrapping around the surprised robot in a crushing hug as Clemont buries his face in the crook of Ash's good shoulder.

"Ah… Clemont…?" Ash asks cautiously, feeling the other boy trembling against him. Water trickles off Clemont's clothes and hair and starts to soak through Ash's own clothes, but Ash doesn't care. Quite frankly, he's more worried about Clemont at the moment. He tries to draw back to get a better look at Clemont's face, but Clemont just clings harder to him and refuses to budge.

"Thank goodness…!" he mumbles against his neck. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ash, I was so worried – and then the storm – but you're okay!" His fingers clench more tightly in Ash's clothes, as though Clemont is worried that Ash will disappear from his sight again if he lets go. "Thank goodness…"

Ash sighs and raises a hand to rest against Clemont's hair. The movement causes a cascade of water droplets to shower across his neck, but Ash is more concerned with the fact that Clemont is cold and wet and liable to catch a cold if he doesn't get dry any time soon. _He really did run here all the way here in the rain_ , Ash thinks fondly, resting his chin on Clemont's shoulder. _You idiot._

He's just about to return the hug – Clemont seems like he could use both the warmth _and_ the comfort – when his friend suddenly releases him and steps back. "Clemont, what – "

"I'm sorry!" Clemont bursts out, interrupting Ash's confused question. "It's my fault you left the Tower and got caught out in the storm. I upset you a lot this morning and I'm so sorry for that, I never wanted to hurt your feelings! I just didn't want you to be in danger…" Clemont bows in apology to an astonished Ash.

"Please forgive me and come back home!"

* * *

 _Random trivia: I feel like this was actually one of the first scenes I wrote of this entire story, or at least very close to the start?_

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	8. Chapter 8

_A double update! Yay! :D_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8**_

Clemont waits nervously for Ash's reply, fists clenched at his sides. There's always the possibility that Ash is still too upset to forgive him – after all, he'd been upset enough to leave Prism Tower – and that possibility is a shard of fear in his heart. Even though his father had said over the phone earlier that Ash was alright and wanted to come back to the Tower when the rain cleared, Clemont hadn't been able to believe it until he'd seen the robot standing hesitantly in the hallway. The relief at seeing Ash, unharmed and finally right _there_ in front of him had been so great that Clemont had acted on instinct, unable to resist rushing over to hug his friend.

But there was always the chance that between that call and now, Ash has changed his mind. Indeed, Clemont can feel his stomach sinking as the silence continues on without any kind of response from Ash. He's just about to give up when something warm and fluffy lands on top of his head. Clemont realises belatedly that it's a towel just as someone – Ash, probably – starts to dry his hair vigorously in much the same manner that Clemont used when drying Bonnie or Ash's hair.

When the hands release him, Clemont peeks up cautiously from under the towel to see Ash smiling brightly at him. He's helpless to stop the hesitant smile that spreads across his own face in answer; resisting Ash's smile is almost impossible. Ash's expression soon becomes serious and Clemont straightens, bracing for an answer he isn't sure he wants to hear.

It's Clemont's turn to be surprised, though. "I should be the one saying sorry," Ash tells him, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "You were just worried about me and I overreacted and got mad when I shouldn't have. Please forgive me too?" He holds out his hand, looking slightly nervous.

The fear and worry that has been weighing Clemont down all day finally lifts, melting away to make place for dawning joy. _Thank goodness!_ A fond laugh born of happiness and relief escapes him and he ignores Ash's hand in favour of pulling the robot into another hug, a wide smile blooming across his face.

"Of course!" he says. "Of course."

 _This_ time, Clemont feels Ash's arms curl around him as the robot returns the hug, hesitantly at first but soon tightening his grip when Clemont just hugs him harder in response. Clemont hides his face against Ash's shoulder, hiding the tears of sheer relief that threaten to fall. He wants this moment to last forever: Ash is _here_ , safe and unharmed and he's not mad at Clemont and he's going to come _home_ when this rain finally lets up –

"Hey, Clemont?" Ash says eventually. Clemont _hmms_ wordlessly in response, quite content to stay where he is. Ash is warm and Clemont is exhausted now that he isn't in a state of panicked worry anymore. "You're getting me all wet…"

Clemont blinks, belatedly remembering that yes, he's soaking wet and yes, Ash is now soaking wet as well. "Ack! Sorry!" he apologises, hastily letting go of Ash and stepping back.

Ash laughs. "Don't worry about it! It's not like a bit of water can hurt me, after all!" he says proudly, patting his chest. Ash reaches out to grab the towel slung over Clemont's shoulders and picks up where he left off in drying Clemont's hair. "You shouldn't have come out in the rain," he admonishes Clemont as he squeezes water out of his hair. "Waiting an hour or two for it to clear wouldn't have mattered. You'll catch a cold if you stay like this!"

Right on cue, Clemont sneezes. Ash raises his eyebrows at him – _see?_ – and Clemont fixes Ash with an indignant look. "Of _course_ I had to come as soon as I could!" he says hotly. "You're important to me, after all!" Ash blinks as Clemont blushes and looks away. "And to Bonnie as well," Clemont adds, staring at his feet intently.

With a fond look, Ash ruffles Clemont's hair. "Thanks, Clemont. You and Bonnie are important to me too." He grins brightly. "There's no place in the world I'd rather be than with you two."

Clemont makes the mistake of looking up and meeting Ash's smile. Between that and the robot's heartfelt words, Clemont finds himself blushing even harder and quickly ducks his head again. Fortunately, he's saved from having to make a reply by his father, who swoops in and catches them both in a hug as tears stream down his face. "I'm so happy for you both that you made up!" Meyer sobs. Clemont catches Ash's eye over his father's head and they share an amused smile, Clemont's cheeks still tinged with pink.

Eventually, Meyer releases them. "Clemont, why don't you go and change? You really will get sick if you stay in those wet clothes any longer! Maybe lend Ash something dry as well, since he's wet again," he suggests. Clemont nods, sneezes and decides that's probably a good idea.

"The clothes I keep here should still fit you," he tells Ash, starting to head for his room. "I'll find you something."

"Ah, I'm gonna check on Pikachu!" Ash says. He ends up following Clemont back to the room he'd been in before Clemont's arrival and blinks at Clemont in confusion. "Huh? You keep your clothes in here?"

"This is my room," Clemont explains, kneeling down by a chest of drawers and rummaging through it. "Well, it was until I became Gym Leader and started staying in the Tower, that is… ah, and there was also the time I was studying, I stayed on campus the whole time back then… so as you can see," he waves a hand at all the boxes stacked along the other side of the room, "it's doubling as a storage room at the moment."

"Ha, really?" Ash says with interest. The robot looks around the room, trying to imagine it uncluttered by boxes. The corner of what looks like a set of blueprints taped to the wall peeks out from behind a stack of boxes and suddenly it's easy to imagine a young Clemont hard at work at the desk by the window, staying up late as he scribbles down some idea or the other, his tongue poking out in concentration. Ash nods with an air of satisfaction. "Yeah, this is a very Clemont-esque room. I can imagine it." As Clemont changes out of his wet clothes, Ash seats himself cross-legged on the floor beside the couch and studies the sleeping Pikachu. "Hey, buddy," he whispers, reaching out to stroke Pikachu's fur and being extra careful of the Pokémon's injuries.

Clemont finishes changing, folding his wet clothes quickly and leaving them in a neat pile. The dry clothes are a welcome change from the drenched state he's been in for the past hour or so, trying to find Ash. _Speaking of…_ he thinks, glancing over his shoulder at Ash as he works. In typical Ash fashion, the robot seems oblivious to everything but the Pokémon lying on the couch as he murmurs quietly to it, too low for Clemont to hear what is being said.

He grabs an extra shirt and makes his way over to Ash. "Here you go," Clemont says quietly, not wanting to disturb the Pikachu as he hands the dry shirt to Ash.

"Thanks," Ash says as he takes it, keeping his voice down as well.

"This is the Pikachu you saved?" Clemont asks as he crouches down next to Ash to get a closer look at the Pikachu that Ash had so bravely defended. According to his father, the small Pokémon had been badly injured in the fight with those Pokémon thieves calling themselves 'Team Rocket'; it needed all the healing time it could get. Seeing it now, Clemont had to agree. As it was –

"Shouldn't we take Pikachu to the Pokémon Center?" he asks in concern. Pikachu might need more medical help from a professional healer over anything they can manage.

"He doesn't want to go," Ash replies, voice slightly muffled amid the flurry of changing shirts. His head pops clear of the collar. "After Pikachu and Blaziken sent Team Rocket flying, there wasn't enough time to make it to a Pokémon Center, so I took him to one of your Clemontic Showers instead. That helped – and then Meyer found us and helped me take care of him. But Pikachu refuses to go to the Pokémon Center."

"I see…" Clemont trails off. On the couch, Pikachu rolls over and Clemont spots a familiar scar on the Pikachu's tail. "Ah!" he exclaims in shock and then lowers his voice, looking a bit guilty. "That's –!"

"The Pikachu from the flower garden the other week, yeah," Ash replies, ruffling Pikachu's ears carefully. Clemont notes how, even unconscious, the small Pokémon turns into the robot's touch – a big difference from how it had fled from even the idea of being touched the last time they had met. He smiles; it seems Ash has been working his magic again, befriending every Pokémon he comes across.

Ash stares down at Pikachu, a fond smile on his face. "Pikachu was doing his best to protect all the Pokémon in the garden from Team Rocket, all by himself," the robot tells Clemont as he pulls his hand back, not wanting to disturb Pikachu any further.

Clemont watches as Ash falls silent. Every now and then, the robot flexes his hand and his eyebrows draw down in a small frown. "Are you okay?" Clemont asks in concern. He still doesn't know exactly what happened in the flower garden, but for Pikachu to be in such bad shape there must have been some sort of battle with this 'Team Rocket'.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ash answers. Clemont isn't sure whether the robot is telling him the truth since Ash is frowning at his hand again, but doesn't press further. "Hey, Clemont…" Ash says suddenly, before trailing off. Clemont's attention focuses on his friend, though Ash keeps his eyes on the Pokémon in front of him. "What I said before about quitting, back at the Tower this morning –"

 _'Well then, I quit as a Gym Leader!'_

Clemont shakes his head, trying to dispel the memory of Ash's voice. "It's okay," he manages to reply. They've forgiven each other, but it doesn't mean the original reason for the argument has gone away. Ash still has his dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer; if he doesn't want to help out as Gym Leader anymore, then that's his decision and Clemont can't do anything about it. The only thing he _could_ do is to reprogram Ash – and even the mere thought of doing _that_ makes Clemont feel sick to his stomach. No, no matter how it started, Ash has become his own person and Clemont will respect his wishes, even if it hurts. "If you really don't want to –"

"No, I'm sorry," the robot cuts him off, shaking his head. "I didn't mean it, I was just frustrated." He meets Clemont's eyes then, a smile on his face. "I _like_ being a Gym Leader. It's really fun, getting all the challenges from other Trainers. And I like being your partner and being able to help you. But –" a glance towards Pikachu, "– when I was defending Pikachu, I had to get help from Blaziken and that masked guy to defeat Team Rocket… and I realised that I wanna get stronger. And I want to help you get stronger too."

"But – your dream –" Clemont asks in surprise.

Ash looks up at the ceiling, resting back on his hands. "I haven't given it up," he assures Clemont, who doesn't know whether to be relieved or worried at that. "I'm still going to be a Pokémon Master one day. So maybe it's not possible for me to become a proper Pokémon Trainer just yet, but… I can do my best as a Gym Leader for now, right?" He grins at Clemont, before turning sheepish. "If it's okay for me to come back," he adds, rubbing the back of his head.

"There will always be a place for you at Lumiose Gym if you want it," Clemont tells Ash truthfully. How could there ever not be? Ash was just as much a part of the Gym now that Clemont was, regardless of who was actually officially the Gym Leader.

Ash's grin is almost blinding. "Great! I look forward to working with you! Let's grow together, Clemont!" He holds out a hand.

Clemont takes it with an answering grin that's just as bright, his heart joyful. "Yeah! Please bear with me."

.

.

.

Meyer chooses that moment to poke his head around the door, smiling to himself when he sees the two boys grinning at each other. _Well, it looks like they've sorted everything out._ He clears his throat to get their attention and they look up, finally noticing his presence. "It doesn't look like the rain is going to lessen up any time soon," he tells them both, nodding towards the window. Indeed, the rain is still bucketing down; it's no wonder his son was as soaked as he was when he arrived. "We may as well have lunch – I made some sandwiches while you two were getting changed."

"Oh?" Ash says, brightening – Clemont never understands why Ash gets excited about food when he doesn't need to eat – and turns to Clemont. "I'm not really that hungry after everything that's happened today," he says, with a conspiratorial wink at Clemont beside him, "But Clemont, you should eat. Gotta keep your strength up or you really will get sick!"

Clemont can't argue with that. In his relief at finding Ash safe and sound, he'd completely forgotten that his father still doesn't know that Ash is a robot; it seems like Ash is still keeping up the charade. He's climbing to his feet when he remembers that Bonnie is still waiting at the Gym for them to come back. "Ah! Papa, Bonnie –"

"Don't worry, I already let Bonnie know that you'd gotten here safely and that you and Ash would be back when the storm cleared up," Meyer tells them as they leave Clemont's room. Clemont breathes a sigh of relief. "There's some sandwiches for her too; you can take them back to the Gym with you."

"Thanks, Meyer!" Ash pipes up. He darts into the kitchen ahead of them all. "Wow, they look good!" Clemont hears him exclaim.

"It's not much," Meyer laughs. "Clemont is the cook in our family!" he adds proudly, clapping his son on the shoulder.

"Yeah, Clemont's food always looks so delicious!" Ash agrees enthusiastically.

Clemont manages to refrain from blushing at the compliments. "Well, cooking is just a form of science," he explains. "You make a plan, gather the ingredients and then put it together."

"Huh, really?" Ash says thoughtfully, crossing his arms. "That's interesting, I wouldn't have thought of it that way before!"

Clemont takes a seat at the table as Meyer directs Ash to the cupboard that holds the plates. The plate of sandwiches in the centre of the table are a reminder that he still doesn't know what the voice code to the locked file in Ash's programming is, but the lack of knowledge doesn't bother him. At this point, Clemont is certain that the locked file is more than likely Ash's 'core' and he has no intentions of ever touching it, even if he ever _does_ figure out what the voice code is.

Sometime during his musings, Clemont ends up watching Ash; it's only because of that that he notices Ash wince as he reaches up to get the plates. Clemont straightens in alarmed concern as Ash sets the plates on the counter, rubbing at his shoulder. "Ash, are you sure you're alright?"

Ash makes a face and picks up the plates, bringing them over to the table. "I thought I was," he confesses sheepishly, dropping down into a chair. "But I think I took some damage in that fight with Team Rocket after all." Ash puts a hand to his shoulder and grimaces. "My shoulder… hurts? And my arm feels weird. Tingly. Like when I stuck it in water that first time."

Clemont is out of his seat before Ash has even finished speaking, circling around the table to kneel by Ash's side. "Please let me see?" he asks, hand hovering over Ash's shoulder. If there's water damage, Clemont needs to fix it right away before it can get into the rest of Ash's system and wreck havoc.

Ash offers his arm to Clemont without any hesitation and Clemont studies it, frowning. Now that he's looking more closely, he can tell there _is_ something wrong with the way Ash's arm is moving. The shape of Ash's shoulder feels slightly warped when Clemont runs his fingers over it. There's no way he could have noticed it before now – especially not if Ash was trying to act normal and Clemont is going to have _words_ with Ash about that later when he's not feeling so worried – but Clemont still feels bad for not noticing his friend was in pain sooner. "Yes, I think there is something wrong," he tells Ash quietly, trying not to let his father overhear. "I can't do anything about it now without my tools though, I'm sorry. Can you please wait a bit more until we get back to my workshop?"

"That's okay," Ash replies with a smile. "I can manage until then, no worries!"

"You aren't going to fix your friend, Clemont?"

Clemont jerks backwards in surprise at the sudden appearance of his father crouching down right beside him. Unfortunately, he's still kneeling beside Ash when he moves and so ends up knocking his head against the table. "Ow…" he mutters, rubbing at his head, before freezing as Meyer's words come back to him. 'Fix' was an odd choice of words…. _Oh no, has he realised?!_ Clemont laughs nervously and tries for a normal tone but fails to sound anything other than flustered. "Wh – what do you mean?"

Meyer huffs a laugh and ruffles Clemont's hair, using the motion to check for any injuries his son might have gained from his recent encounter with the edge of the table. "If it's tools you need," he says casually, "I have some downstairs in the shop you can use. You can fix Ash now if you want."

This time, both the boys reel backwards with twin cries of surprise. Clemont narrowly misses gaining a second bump to match the first; Ash almost falls off his chair. The two of them stare at a smiling Meyer with wide-eyes.

"You knew?!" Clemont blurts out. _Oh no, this is bad…!_

"You mean, you already know I'm actually a robot?" Ash asks at the same time, looking nonplussed as he points at himself.

Meyer laughs. "If it helps, you really don't act like one. I was surprised when I figured it out. Did Clemont build you?"

"Yup!" Ash said proudly. "I used to look more like a robot before, but Clemont helped me to look like this too." He holds out his hands for study. "I still think that's pretty amazing."

The two of them watch Clemont in bemusement as he covers his face with his hands, hiding embarrassment. "Papa, why didn't you say anything before?!" Clemont wails.

Meyer hides a smile as Ash pats his son on the shoulder in comfort. "Well, it's good that he knows now, right Clemont?" Clemont just mumbles an inaudible reply and sinks further into the ground. Ash looks up at Meyer sheepishly. "Sorry that I can't help you with all this food after you went to all the trouble of making it…"

Clemont's father laughs, clapping Ash very gently on the shoulder. "It's no problem at all." He gets back to his feet, looking thoughtful. "I'll go find that toolbox…"

.

.

.

True to his word, Meyer soon brings back the toolbox he uses to repair the appliances in his shop downstairs. Clemont rummages through it and is pleased to see that most of the tools he needs are there. He sets to work, watched in fascination by both Ash and his father. It's easy enough to see what the problem is – the impact of whatever had damaged Ash has dented the metal of his shoulder, cutting through some wires and twisting others; there's water damage too, where water has leaked in through the gaps in the warped metal. It's fixable, much to Clemont's relief. He's just glad that there isn't more damage than this.

While Clemont works, both he and Ash take turns to tell Meyer the whole story about Ash. Meyer nods every now and then as he listens, watching the way the two interact. Even when Clemont isn't speaking, the fierce determination and concentration in his son's eyes as he focuses on repairing Ash's shoulder tells its own story. It's easy to see the strong bond between the two of them, even if one is human and the other a robot.

When their story comes to a close, Ash realises that Clemont hasn't actually heard the full tale about his encounter with Team Rocket and proceeds to tell his friend what had happened. Judging by the number of horrified expressions that get directed at him as he talks about battling Team Rocket and defending Pikachu, maybe he should have kept this story to himself, but he also knows that Clemont would probably worry _more_ with only his imagination to fill in the details. Clemont isn't looking at him when he mentions being thrown into the fountain wall, but Ash can practically _feel_ his friend wincing, not to mention the way his grip on Ash's arm tightens for the briefest of moments.

"So, Clemont built you to help him with the Gym," Meyer says thoughtfully, as Ash's story winds down. "Are you enjoying it?"

"Yeah! It's great!" Ash replies instantly, lighting up with enthusiasm. "And Clemont and Bonnie are awesome! They're my first friends, you know?"

Although Clemont doesn't look up from what he's doing, Meyer can see the worried frown that's been on his face since hearing Ash's story soften into a small smile. Meyer smiles as well, directing his attention back to Ash. "I'm glad to hear it. Make sure you take care of them both then, alright?"

"I will!" Ash promises.

Meyer nods and ruffles the boy's – robot's – hair and crouches next to his son. "Clemont."

Clemont looks up at his father, hesitation written across his face. There's not enough time to worry whether he's going to get scolded for keeping a secret like this, because a beaming smile breaks out across Meyer's face almost immediately and Clemont finds himself ensconced in a hug. "You've done an excellent job, I'm so proud of you!" Meyer reaches out without looking and pulls Ash into the hug as well. "Both of you are fine young men!" he tells them, because it's true and it doesn't matter if one of them isn't technically human. Both Ash and Clemont blush in embarrassed pleasure as they return the hug.

After Meyer releases them, Clemont busies himself with trying to finish the repairs as soon as he can, because he knows from past experience in repairing the robot that having panels open to the air like this 'feels really weird' according to Ash. Probably the only reason Ash hasn't said anything by now is that he's been distracted by his conversation with Clemont's father. Speaking of conversations…

"I've never heard of this 'Team Rocket' before this," Meyer says thoughtfully, picking up a sandwich. "There was a man, a woman and a talking Meowth, you said?"

"Yeah. They're all bad guys who want to steal Pokémon!" Ash replies angrily. "I won't forgive them for trying something like that!"

Meyer _hrms_. "Well, let's leave it to Officer Jenny for now. It's her job to catch criminals, after all!"

"There's also that person in the Blaziken mask who helped you out," Clemont chimes in, twisting the last wire into place. _There, that should fix things for now!_ He picks up the panel covering, ready to screw it back into place. "I wonder who it was?"

Neither of them notice Meyer almost drop his sandwich at Clemont's words. "From Ash's description, he doesn't sound like a criminal though, right?" the older man says hastily.

"Yeah... he helped me and Pikachu, he's not an enemy," Ash says thoughtfully. "I wish I'd been able to thank him though!" He frowns, remembering something. "He had a weird Pokémon I'd never seen before with him too… It looked like a Blaziken, but it wasn't a Blaziken?"

"Wow, does a Pokémon like that exist?" Meyer asks, a trifle too loudly. Neither boy notices.

"Yeah! It was super strong too!" Ash answers enthusiastically. He looks over his shoulder at Clemont, wondering if Clemont might know what kind of Pokémon it had been.

Clemont taps his chin, thinking hard. "A Blaziken that's not a Blaziken…" he muses. _There's… something familiar about that. Something about… Professor Sycamore's research…?_ "Ah, I wonder if it could be a Mega Blaziken?" he says aloud in surprise.

"'Mega Blaziken'?" Ash repeats. "What's that?"

Clemont frowns, starting to screw the panel into place again as he explains. "Ah, well… I've heard rumours about a thing called 'Mega Evolution', where Pokémon can evolve further than their final evolution…"

"Really?!" Ash exclaims, eyes sparkling with excitement. "That sounds so cool!"

Clemont holds up his hands. "That's all I know about it, though." Ash deflates just as quickly with a drawn out _aww_ of disappointment. "Sorry, Ash," Clemont adds apologetically, feeling a bit bad for not having more information to share with his friend. "I wish I could tell you more."

"Nah, it's okay!" Ash replies, leaning back in his seat. "Mega Blaziken, huh…" the robot says in contemplation, smiling. "I hope we meet it again!"

"Aha!" Clemont says, pleased. He pats Ash's shoulder. "There we go, that should do for now…"

He sits back on his heels and stretches as Ash tests out his arm. "Thanks, Clemont! That feels much better!" Ash says happily, swinging his arm around.

"Please go easy on it, though," Clemont cautions as he starts packing up the tools he had used. "I need to replace the underplate when we get home, and it looks like the rubber covering over it was also damaged, so I'll have to replace that too or you'll end up with, well, a scar…"

Ash looks at Clemont and then cranes his neck to look at the place on his shoulder blade that Clemont is referring to. He studies it for a second before looking back at Clemont and shrugging. "Nah, just leave it."

"Huh? Why?" Clemont asks, bewildered.

"Pikapi!"

There's the pattering sound of paws on wood and then a yellow blur is streaking across the floor to dive into Ash's chest. Ash catches the new arrival with ease despite looking startled, and brightens when he sees who it is. "Hey! Pikachu!" he exclaims happily. "You're awake!" The robot rubs Pikachu's head carefully, eliciting a whine of pleasure from the small electric Pokémon. "You're looking a lot better!"

"Pika, pika! Pikapi!" Pikachu replies, nuzzling into Ash and making him laugh. It catches sight of his bared shoulder and climbs up his arm. "Pikachuuuu?" the Pokémon says, concern in his voice as he taps at Ash's shoulder with a paw.

"I'm okay!" Ash reassures Pikachu. "Clemont fixed me! And look!" The robot points at his shoulder blade, where his 'skin' is damaged. "I'll have a scar just like you! We'll match!"

Clemont huffs a laugh. _So that's why he wanted to leave it!_ he thinks fondly, watching the two interact. If it weren't for the distinctive scar on the Pikachu's tail, Clemont would have to wonder if this really was the same Pikachu they'd met that day in the flower garden. The playful Pikachu climbing all over Ash in front of him is a far cry from the guarded Pokémon who zapped them all when Ash tried to touch it.

Except –

His laughter attracts Pikachu's attention and the sudden switch in its attitude is incredible. Gone is the mischievous, happy Pikachu and in its place is a very wary Pokémon sitting on Ash's shoulder, watching Clemont with suspicion as sparks fly from its cheeks. Clemont holds up his hands in a gesture of peace and backs off slowly.

"Hey, _hey_ , Pikachu!" Ash admonishes with a frown, placing a hand on Pikachu's head and ruffling the Pokémon's ears to distract it. "Stop it! Clemont's a good guy! He won't hurt you!" Pikachu looks between Ash and Clemont, conflicted. Clemont tries a tentative smile but Pikachu darts to Ash's other shoulder, putting the robot between them as he peers over Ash's head at Clemont. Ash sighs. "He's my friend, he's the one who fixed me up and made me better," the robot says patiently and then points at Meyer. "And that's his dad over there who helped me fix _you_ up and make you better. You should thank them, not shock them!"

Clemont watches as Pikachu's ears droop at the scolding before he peeks back over the top of Ash's head again. "Pika pika!" it says and waves a paw at Meyer, who cheerfully waves back. Ash raises his elbow carefully to give the small Pokémon more space to stand as Pikachu climbs back over to his scarred shoulder. "Pika, pikapi," it tells Clemont, sounding contrite, and Clemont gets the impression that the electric Pokémon is thanking him for helping Ash.

"It's no problem," he replies with a kind smile. Clemont doesn't try to touch Pikachu, even though he'd like to pat its head in thanks like he would with his own Pokémon; he gets the distinct impression that only Ash has that privilege at the moment. Even so, after listening to Ash's story earlier, Clemont feels that the electric Pokémon deserves his gratitude. "Thank you," he tells it sincerely. "For protecting Ash like you did. I'm very grateful." Clemont's smile grows wider when Pikachu blushes and scratches the back of its head in an amusingly similar manner to an embarrassed Ash. _Like Trainer, like Pokémon?_

Ash grins at Pikachu. "See? That wasn't so hard." He just laughs as Pikachu swats at his face in retaliation with an irritable ' _chuuuuuu'_ and reaches for a sandwich and a plate. "Clemont, here, you didn't get to eat before 'cause you were too busy fixing my shoulder…"

"Ah, thank you!" Clemont says, accepting the plate gratefully. His stomach chooses that exact moment to rumble hungrily, echoed almost immediately by the Pokémon sitting on Ash's shoulder. They all burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, I guess you're hungry too!" Ash laughs, reaching out to grab another sandwich. "Here, you can have my share." He passes it up to Pikachu, who starts munching at it immediately with sounds of happiness. Clemont follows suit, pleased with the discovery that the sandwich Ash had given him is one of his favourites.

.

.

.

The rain still hasn't cleared by the time they all finish lunch, but it has lessened enough that Clemont and Ash are able to head back to the Gym with an umbrella that Meyer lends them. Luckily, it's big enough to fit the two of them, the box of sandwiches that Clemont is carrying for Bonnie, and Pikachu, fast asleep in Ash's arms. 

_"Pikachu is still in bad shape,"_ _Meyer warned as he handed the box of sandwiches to Clemont. Ash looked down at Pikachu, curled up in his arms. It seemed that Pikachu's insistence on going with him rather than staying and resting at Meyer's house had worn out the small Pokémon's remaining energy. "If you can, try and get it to a Pokémon Center."_

 _"I don't think Pikachu will want to go," Ash replied glumly. His grip tightened on Pikachu and the Pokémon grumbled, fidgeting in his sleep._

 _"It certainly seems that way," Clemont agreed._

 _"If that's the case, then you'll have to make sure it gets lots of rest and eats well," Meyer instructed. "Don't let Pikachu battle until he's fully healed. Clemont knows how to take care of injured electric Pokémon, so listen to him, alright?"_

 _"I will!" the robot promised._

 _"And both of you, take care of yourselves and Bonnie too." Meyer added._

 _"We will." It's Clemont's turn to promise. "We'd better be off now." He was wary of the rain taking a turn for the worse again, so they waved goodbye to Meyer and started walking back to the Tower._

Aside from the soft patter of rain against the roads, it's quiet as they walk back to the Tower. It's not an awkward silence – if anything, it more reminds Ash of the companionable silences they've shared before in Clemont's workshop. Still, there's something tentative about the quiet between them that Ash is worried about messing up. Whenever he glances over at Clemont, he always seems to be in deep thought about something. Not wanting to disturb his friend, Ash loses the nerve to speak every time and looks down at Pikachu sleeping in his arms. _I'm glad Pikachu decided to come with us for now. This way, I don't have to worry about how he's doing…_

Meanwhile, Clemont can't help sneaking glances at the robot beside him. Ash is uncharacteristically silent; a small part of Clemont worries that the robot is still mad at him, but he brushes that thought aside almost immediately. _He's probably just troubled over Pikachu's injuries_ , Clemont thinks, tearing his gaze away from his friend for the umpteenth time. He wants to reassure Ash that Pikachu _will_ recover, especially if Pikachu actually rests like he's supposed to. Every time Clemont tries to speak up, however, the words fade away before he can actually voice them and he has to look away lest Ash catch him staring.

They're turning into one of the smaller plazas around Lumiose City – Ash has no idea which one; it's not one he's seen before – when finally their covert glances coincide and they end up meeting each others eyes. The two of them blink at each other for a moment, caught off guard; Clemont can feel embarrassment at being caught creeping up on him as he recovers, but just before he can look away Ash starts laughing sheepishly and that finally breaks the tentative silence between them. Clemont feels his embarrassment fading in favour of a wide grin that quickly becomes a chuckle, and the two of them have to stop walking for a moment while they snicker uncontrollably at how ridiculous they're being.

"Ah, that's better," Ash says when their laughter dies down. "I needed that." The robot's eyes widen all of a sudden and he glances down at Pikachu with a worried expression. Luckily, Pikachu is still sound asleep in his arms. Ash's shoulders slump in relief that their laughter hasn't accidentally woken Pikachu up.

With the fragile silence gone, Clemont can finally speak the reassurances he's been wanting to give since they started walking. "Don't worry, Ash. If Pikachu rests properly, he'll recover from those injuries in no time."

"I hope so…" Ash says seriously. "I wouldn't want him to get any more scars because of me." He gently touches the scar on Pikachu's tail; Pikachu mumbles and burrows further into his arms without waking up, his tail whacking Ash across the face by accident as the small Pokémon gets comfortable. Clemont is relieved to see Ash's solemn expression dissolve into a snicker once again; Ash normally has such an upbeat attitude that seeing him upset just feels wrong.

"Pikachu has really taken a liking to you," Clemont comments. "I still can't believe this is the same Pikachu we met that day in the flower garden." His musings are interrupted by a sudden sneeze; Ash fixes him with a suspicious look as he sniffles.

"I hope you're not actually getting sick," Ash says, frowning. "I don't want you to fall ill because of me either."

Clemont frowns internally – it's _not_ Ash's fault; it was his choice to go out in the rain and he'd do it again in a heartbeat if he had to. Still, he doesn't want to get into another argument so he lets the comment pass for now. He smiles reassuringly at Ash instead, hoping to at least cheer the robot up, and says brightly, "Don't worry, I'm fine! A little bit of rain never hurt anyone."

Ash snorts and looks over at the gutters still overflowing with rain water. "A _'little'_?"

He laughs sheepishly. "Well, it doesn't usually rain like this here in Lumiose – if we get thunderstorms at all…"

"I've seen them before," Ash insists. "Okay, maybe not like _this_ but…"

"Yes, we've had a few more than usual lately…" Clemont says, thinking back on the past few weeks. "You've been very lucky then!" he says with a laugh and smiling at Ash, who grins back proudly like this is some kind of achievement.

"Now that you mention it, it's pretty lucky that lightning didn't strike the Tower too, right?" Ash asks, peering out from under the umbrella to the tall form of Prism Tower rising above them. "That'd be pretty dangerous."

"Actually, the Tower does get hit by lightning every now and then in a storm, since it's so tall," Clemont explains, quietly amused by Ash's wide-eyed look. "Don't worry though!" he hastens to add. "There's a lightning rod at the top; the lightning gets converted into energy and used to supplement the power that the Clemontic Showers around the city run on." He pauses for a second, scratching at a cheek shyly. "I designed it when they installed the Showers – well, the lightning rod was already there but it just discharged the lightning safely into the ground… it doesn't generate that much extra power since thunderstorms are so infrequent but every little bit of energy counts, right?"

There's a whistle of amazement from beside Clemont; he feels his face flush slightly at the sound. "Clemont, you're amazing!" Ash says with feeling, sounding impressed. "You designed something like that too? That's so cool!"

"Ahaha, thanks..." The pink dusting across Clemont's cheeks darkens to a rosier hue as he ducks his head in embarrassment.

"You really like inventing, don't you?" Ash laughs, bumping his shoulder against Clemont's affably. He staggers a bit from the weight behind it; it seems that even Ash forgets that he's a being made from metal sometimes. "Good for you!" the robot continues cheerfully. Brown eyes flick down to the sleeping Pikachu in his arms and Ash's grin fades into thoughtfulness. Clemont is caught up in making sure the umbrella is covering both of them properly again when Ash speaks up again. "Hey, Clemont…"

Clemont's gaze snaps to his friend, confused by Ash's hesitant tone. If there's one thing Ash is not, it's being hesitant about _anything_. "Ash…?"

There's a few more moments of silence, a myriad of emotions flickering across Ash's face before his expression settles in a determined look. "What do you want to do? In the future, I mean," the robot clarifies quickly. "You already said you aren't interested in challenging the Pokémon League since you're a Gym Leader, but... are you gonna stay and look after the Gym forever?"

Clemont blinks. A question about his plans for the future wasn't what he had been expecting. "Stay and look after the Gym forever?" he repeats, unsure of what to say. _Is this related to our conversation from before?_ His footsteps falter and his heart clenches. _Is Ash having second thoughts about staying as a Gym Leader?_

He sneaks a look at his friend out of the corner of his eye. Ash is still looking down at Pikachu, but the robot must sense Clemont's gaze because he glances up and catches Clemont's eye. _No,_ Clemont decides, meeting brown with blue rather than looking away. _I know he was being sincere before when he said he wanted to continue on at the Gym, even if he also one day wants to be a proper Pokémon Trainer._

"Why do you ask?" Clemont asks curiously instead of answering right away.

Ash sighs and rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I was just thinking… I was so focused before on what I might wanna do that I forgot completely that there might be things you wanna do as well, you know?" He shoots an apologetic grin at Clemont.

 _Ah, so that's it,_ Clemont thinks in relief. _Still…_

Ash had originally been built for the purpose of standing in for Clemont in Gym matches and no matter what he has evolved into since then, that purpose is still a large part of who the robot was. _If I'm not Gym Leader,_ Clemont muses, _where does that leave Ash?_

He wonders if Ash thinks about this as well – if that's the reason behind the unusually serious face that Ash is wearing right now.

"I don't know," he says aloud, shifting his gaze to the sky. Clemont feels his friend turn to look at him, giving him his full attention. Beyond the brim of the umbrella, the storm clouds overhead are starting to break up, letting sunlight stream through in long beams. "What I want to do in the future… I want to become an inventor who can help create a world where people and Pokémon alike can enjoy life fully. Mastering Electric-types is a step on that journey for me."

"Which is why you took on the Gym in the first place. I remember," Ash says proudly.

Clemont nods. "Yes, that's right." He looks down at the ground with a sigh, wishing he could give Ash a better answer. "To be honest, I don't think I'll be Gym Leader forever," he admits. "But as long as there's things that being Gym Leader can teach me, I'll keep at it." He looks towards Ash, trying to gauge the robot's reaction and adds reassuringly, "It probably won't be for many years yet though. There's still so much to learn."

"Well then, we'll learn together," Ash says firmly, grinning at Clemont. "An inventor who helps people and Pokémon… I know you'll do a great job at that." The robot nods decisively to himself, confident that Clemont will achieve his goal without difficulty. "After all, you're already designing amazing things!" He claps Clemont on the back, making him stagger slightly again from the force of it. However, Clemont finds he doesn't mind, since getting his footing back gives him time to hide the flush of embarrassed pride that burns upon his cheeks. His fingers tighten their grip on the box of sandwiches as he straightens; Ash's words – and his confidence in Clemont – a bright point inside Clemont's chest. He smiles quietly to himself and almost misses Ash's next words. "I'm surprised you didn't use any of your inventions to keep the rain off you, though."

 _Urk._ "Ahaha, well… to be honest I didn't even think about it," Clemont confesses. "I was…" _too caught up in panic to even think about it at the time_. He winces to himself and lets his sentence trail off, aware that his confession might be counterproductive in making Ash believe that everything is _not_ his fault.

Ash seems to hear the words he holds back, however, and makes a face. "I really am sorry for worrying you," the robot says again, the corner of his mouth turned down in contrition. Clemont silently sighs and – since his hands are occupied – copies Ash's gesture from earlier, bumping their shoulders together in a show of comfort.

"It's okay," he says. "You're here now, and that's all that matters." _You're not hurt._ There's a flutter in his stomach as memories of panic and fear flash through his mind briefly and Clemont amends, "Just make sure you tell us where you're going next time!"

"I will," Ash promises, looking serious. Clemont smiles at him and Ash returns the gesture; the solemn mood quickly lightening, much to Clemont's relief. Ash looks down at Pikachu as the small Pokémon wriggles in his arms before quietening again. "You know, I used one of your inventions to find this guy when he was in trouble!"

"Huh?" Clemont replies, startled. He tries to remember if any of his latest inventions could possibly be of use in tracking down Pokémon, but to no avail – although he does file away the spark of an idea for another invention. In any case, he doesn't think he's given Ash any of them recently anyway. He looks at Ash questioningly.

Ash snickers at his confusion. " _Me_ , Clemont! Don't tell me you forgot too!"

Clemont blinks. It's true – in a way, he _had_ forgotten. The more time he spends in Ash's company, the harder and harder it is to see anything but a human personality. Yet on the other hand, he _can't_ forget; Ash is too prone to jumping into things before thinking them out, too willing to ignore his own injuries and Clemont is the only one who knows how to fix him.

There's something in Ash's words that catch at his interest, though. _'Too'?_ Clemont wonders. _Did Ash also forget?_

He opens his mouth, intending to make sure Ash knows that he's more than just one of Clemont's inventions – he's Clemont's best friend, he's _family_ – but Ash mentions using the thermal vision mode Clemont had included in his redesign and suddenly his thoughts are completely distracted.

"You used the thermal vision? Did it work properly?! What was it like?!" Clemont asks eagerly, eyes lit up in excitement. Ash just laughs and answers all of the questions that Clemont throws at him as best as he can as they continue walking back to the Tower.

 _Ah, there'll be time enough to tell him later, I suppose. Ash isn't going anywhere for now._

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	9. Chapter 9

_Hi all! Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who is still reading this fic! I hope y'all are enjoying it C:_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9**_

"Ash!"

No sooner do the doors to the Lumiose Gym slide open than a brown and blonde blur speeds out and throws itself at Ash's waist, encircling arms squeezing in a tight hug.

"Bonnie!" Ash exclaims, eyes going wide with surprise. He looks down at the young girl clinging to him and then at the Pikachu in his arms, before sending a pleading look in Clemont's direction. "Clemont, could you –?" the robot asks apologetically, gesturing for him to hold Pikachu for him for a moment. Clemont hurriedly puts down both the umbrella and box of sandwiches to take Pikachu gently from Ash. With Pikachu now safely taken care of, Ash sinks to his knees and wraps Bonnie in a tight hug of his own.

"Ash, you're back!" Bonnie says, her voice muffled by Ash's shirt. There's a pang in Ash's chest when he realises how teary her voice sounds. It's worse when she leans back to look at him with worry – it's the same expression Clemont had worn when he had seen Ash for the first time after their fight.

"I'm home," he agrees, smiling at her. The guilt in his chest lightens when he sees a small answering smile flicker to life, relief washing away some of the worry from before.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Bonnie beams. "We were really worried about you! Everyone looked, but we couldn't find you _anywhere._ "

Ash winces, remembering again how exhausted and anxious Clemont had been when he had shown up at his father's shop, that he'd been so worried about him that he'd gone searching out in the middle of a storm for him, without an umbrella or any of his inventions to keep him dry. "I'm sorry," he says again, looking at Bonnie but speaking to the both of them. "I didn't mean to make you both worry so much, I wasn't thinking. I'm really, _really_ sorry."

"Don't do it again," Bonnie scolds him and wraps her arms around Ash in another tight hug. Ash doesn't see the pointed look Bonnie shoots her brother when Bonnie continues, "I'm sorry Clemont was mean to you! Did he apologise properly?"

"Bonnie!" Clemont protests, trying to keep his voice quiet to avoid waking Pikachu.

Ash huffs a laugh. "We both did. Don't be mad at your brother, Bonnie, the whole thing was my fault. It was just a misunderstanding." Bonnie eyes them both and then nods. Ash ruffles her hair, a fond smile on his face. _I didn't realise just how much I could end up hurting them. I'm sorry, guys, I never meant to hurt either of you._

Bonnie looks down at the ground and Ash's hand stills. "Bonnie? What's wrong?" he asks, setting his hands on her shoulders.

She fidgets for a few moments, fingers twisting in the sleeves of his shirt as she stares at the ground. Ash darts a questioning glance at Clemont behind him, but he can only shrug helplessly. Eventually though, a mumble escapes. "You promised you wouldn't go away again, but you did."

Ash blinks, taken aback. _When did I…?_ Realisation strikes. The workshop, after his redesign. He had meant it then; still meant it, in fact. He didn't intend to go anywhere soon. Ash just hadn't thought his leaving the Tower unannounced for a short time would count as actually 'leaving'. _Still, I did promise that, didn't I?_ He glances towards Clemont again, wondering if his friend has any advice, but Clemont just looks sad. When he notices Ash looking at him however, the sadness disappears and he gestures towards Bonnie frantically. _Talk to her!_

 _I hope I don't mess this up…_ "Bonnie, I'm sorry," Ash says, prepared to say it as many times as it takes for his family to stop looking so _sad_. "I was angry before and I thought it might help if I wasn't around anyone for a while. There are times when you just want to be alone, right?"

Bonnie nods. Ash gives her a reassuring smile and continues in a serious tone. "But no matter how angry or sad I get, even if I want to be on my own for a bit, I'll always want to come back to where you both are. _Always,_ no matter what," he adds fiercely. "Don't think for a moment that I'll ever leave either of you behind. The Tower is my home and the two of you are my family. I love being here, with you both." Ash hesitates for a second before continuing. "I may be only a robot, so I dunno how real it is, but…" He trails off with a self-conscious laugh, ducking his head and rubbing the back of it with a hand. "I – I love you both."

Ash looks up, beaming, only for his smile to falter when he realises that there are _tears_ in Bonnie's eyes. He twists round in a panic, looking to Clemont for some kind of clue as to what he's done wrong… except that _Clemont_ is looking suspiciously watery-eyed as well. "W-whoa, woah, why are you both crying?!" Ash says frantically, bewildered. "Was it something I said?! I'm sorry!" _What did I say wrong? They're crying, that means I hurt their feelings, right? I need to fix this somehow, they're not supposed to be sad –_

His frantic thoughts are cut off abruptly when Bonnie throws her arms around his neck and hugs him with all of her might. "Ah – Bonnie?" Ash asks, still bewildered. He feels Clemont step closer and then the older blond is kneeling down beside him to wrap an arm around him in a careful hug that is nevertheless just as strong as his sister's. "Clemont…?"

"We love you too, Ash!" Bonnie tells him, a wide beaming smile on her face when she pulls back. Clemont makes a noise of agreement, his face buried against Ash's shoulder.

"But…you're crying?" Ash says uncertainly. "That's… not good, right?"

Bonnie giggles. "We're not crying 'cause we're sad, silly! These are happy tears!"

"Happy… tears?" the robot repeats slowly, nonplussed. His brows furrow as he thinks this over, clearly not quite understanding. Clemont decides to help him out.

"We're just really happy that you're a part of our family," Clemont explains, flashing Ash a brilliant smile when the robot glances toward him.

"And we're happy cause you love us and we love you!" Bonnie adds, her smile just as bright as her brother's.

Ash blinks, looking between the two of them before he brightens, an answering grin spreading across his own face. "Oh, okay, I get it!" With a laugh, he wraps one arm around Bonnie and reaches blindly behind him to wrap the other around Clemont's waist, hugging them both to him happily. He can hear Bonnie's joyous giggle as she and her brother return the hug; feels Clemont's chuckle against his shoulder as his friend rests his chin there.

 _My family,_ Ash thinks, feeling warm.

The three of them stay tangled up in their hug for a while, drawing comfort from each other after the scares of the day. None of them want to let go, although Clemont does so reluctantly when he feels Pikachu shifting around in his other arm. He doesn't want to risk Pikachu waking up and loosing a Thunderbolt on all of them just because the wrong person is holding him. Ash stands up, accepting Pikachu back into his arms and the electric Pokémon snuggles into the robot's chest almost immediately. Ash huffs a laugh; he and Clemont share an amused look before Ash looks down at the Pikachu in his arms fondly.

"Ah! A Pikachu!" Bonnie's eyes light up at the sight of the small yellow Pokémon cradled in Ash's arms. Ash and Clemont both make shushing noises, waving frantically for her to keep her voice down lest she wake the sleeping Pokémon. Chagrined, Bonnie lowers her voice to a whisper. "It's a Pikachu! Can I hold it?"

She's practically bouncing on her toes in excitement as she asks and Ash feels bad for having to refuse her. "Sorry, Bonnie, but you can't at the moment."

Bonnie pouts, folding her arms across her chest. "Why not? I'll be gentle, I promise!"

Clemont crouches down beside her. "Bonnie, you remember the Pikachu we met in the flower garden, right?" At her nod, he continues. "This is the same Pikachu; Ash rescued him from some bad people during the storm. But Pikachu is hurt and he's scared and he doesn't really want anyone but Ash touching him at the moment."

"Oh…" Bonnie looks upset. "Is Pikachu gonna be okay? You can make him all better, right, Clemont?"

Clemont smiles, laying a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "With a few days of rest, Pikachu should be fine. Papa helped patch him up, after all."

Bonnie breathes a big sigh of relief. "Thank goodness!" She stands on tip-toe to see Pikachu better; Ash leans down a little bit so that she can get a better look. It's easy to see how much she wants to pat Pikachu's fur, but she doesn't reach out. "Do you think I can hold him when he gets better then?" she asks hopefully.

Ash and Clemont share a glance. "I don't know," Clemont replies honestly. "That depends on how Pikachu feels about it." Bonnie's shoulders slump, but she nods in acceptance.

"Cheer up, Bonnie!" Ash tells her, ruffling her hair. "I'm sure you guys will be great friends soon enough!"

Bonnie brightens. "Yeah!" she replies happily and looks back towards Pikachu. "Pikachu, get better soon, okay?" Pikachu mumbles something in his sleep and curls in further towards Ash's body. Bonnie giggles, settling back down on her feet.

"I'll introduce you guys properly when Pikachu wakes up," Ash promises.

"Yay!" Bonnie cheers, throwing her hands into the air in excitement, only to clap hands over her mouth sheepishly a second later. Luckily, Pikachu seems to be in a deep slumber and doesn't wake up. "Sorry!" she whispers.

Ash chuckles. "It's okay, Bonnie, no harm done."

Clemont retrieves the umbrella and box of sandwiches he'd set down earlier and the three of them head towards their apartment above the Gym. "Oh, Papa says hi, by the way," Clemont tells Bonnie as they walk. "Were you okay on your own? Have you had lunch yet?"

Bonnie's stomach rumbles at the mention of food and the three of them laugh. "I'll take that as a no," Clemont chuckles. "Papa gave us some sandwiches to bring back for you. Sorry it took so long to come back though…"

"It's okay!" Bonnie chirps, skipping up the stairs. "Running around in the rain isn't good for you _or_ Ash!"

Almost right on cue, a sneeze escapes Clemont instead of the reply he was about to make. Ash hides his quiet snickering behind the back of a hand; Bonnie doesn't even bother. Ash's eyes are bright with laughter when Clemont glances towards him and even though the inventor shakes his head in bemusement at the two of them, he can't help the quiet grin spreading across his own face.

 _My family._

/\/\/\

Once upstairs, Bonnie refuses to let Ash out of her sight for the rest of the night and drags him around by the hand when she wants to go somewhere. Ash doesn't mind; after all, he knows he gave his family quite the scare today and frankly, it's comforting having them nearby. He notices Clemont is hovering more than usual as well, although he's not as obvious as his sister about it. Clemont keeps sneaking glances at him when he thinks Ash isn't looking, as though checking that the robot is indeed still there. Ash gets a bit worried around dinnertime when Clemont still seems to be concentrating more on _him_ rather than the knife he's using to cut up vegetables, so much so that he ends up shooing Clemont to a different part of the kitchen and takes over cutting up the food himself. _I may not be able to cook, but I can at least chop stuff up!_

They introduce Bonnie to Pikachu when the electric Pokémon wakes up just in time for dinner – _'_ _Pikachu, this is Clemont's little sister Bonnie; she's really good at looking after Clemont's Pokémon. Bonnie, this is Pikachu. He's a bit wary of people at the moment, so make sure you give him some space, alright?' –_ and predictably, Pikachu spends most of the introduction using Ash as a shield, although he waves hesitantly over Ash's shoulder. That seems good enough for Bonnie, who grins widely and waves back enthusiastically.

Despite the events of the day, dinner is much the same as normal – full of conversation and laughter – with the exception of the newest addition to their small family. Pikachu maintains a careful distance from the siblings throughout dinner and stays close to Ash's side, although he eats the food that Clemont sets out for him readily enough. When the last crumb of food is gone, Pikachu curls up in Ash's lap and falls asleep almost instantly, despite the chatter going on over his head. Ash runs a hand over Pikachu's fur gently, pleased that his newest friend seems to be doing alright after such a harrowing battle earlier.

"Is Pikachu asleep?"

Ash looks up, to find that Clemont has finished eating and pushed aside his plate to lean on the table. "Yeah," he replies. "It looks like a pretty deep sleep though; I don't think we'll wake him up."

Clemont nods. "Pikachu took a lot of damage in the battle you both had, so it makes sense," he reasons. "He'll probably sleep a lot for the next few days while his body recovers."

"Oh…" Ash looks down at Pikachu and sighs. "A few days, huh?"

"Don't worry, Ash!" Bonnie pipes up cheerfully. "With all three of us looking after him, Pikachu will be better in no time!"

Ash chuckles. "Thanks, Bonnie. I'm sure Pikachu will appreciate it." _You see, Pikachu?_ he thinks, looking down at the small Pokémon nestled in his lap. _You don't need to be afraid of these guys. They'll take good care of you, just like they take good care of me!_

Clemont waves Ash away when the robot makes a move to help him clear away the dishes, pointing out that Pikachu will likely wake up if Ash gets up. Instead, Bonnie retrieves a pack of cards and tries to teach Ash a new card game as Clemont washes up. They play a few rounds with much giggling; Clemont joins them once the dishes are done and proves himself to be a fairly decent player.

When Clemont notices Bonnie starting to yawn, he suggests they call it a night and resolutely does his best to ignore the double pout directed his way in response. Ash trails behind the two of them as they get ready for bed, Pikachu curled up safely in his arms.

"I think there's a spare blanket in the linen closet," Clemont tells him, gesturing in the direction of said closet with his toothbrush. "For Pikachu, that is," he adds when Ash looks at him blankly. "It's best to keep him warm, especially after being out in the rain all day."

"Ah, right!" Ash disappears out the door, Pikachu still cradled in his arms. A second later, however, he pokes his head back inside. "Make sure you stay warm too then, okay, Clemont?"

"I will," Clemont promises, hiding a smile. Ash nods, satisfied that Clemont is looking after himself, and disappears again.

Beside him, Bonnie finishes cleaning her teeth and looks up at him. "Clemont, can I stay with you tonight?" she asks softly. "I don't want to be by myself."

"Of course," Clemont replies instantly, blinking in surprise. _I probably should have seen this coming… it's still storming outside and Bonnie hates thunder. Not to mention that we all had a big scare today._ If Clemont was being honest with himself, he could use the comfort of company tonight as well.

"It's not because I'm scared or anything!" Bonnie insists. "But someone's got to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't get sick overnight after getting so wet!"

Clemont chuckles, ruffling her hair. "Thanks, Bonnie."

Ash barely blinks when he returns with the extra blanket wrapped around Pikachu to find both siblings curled up under the covers of Clemont's bed – it's not the first time Bonnie has been too upset to sleep on her own, after all. Clemont is sitting up, leaning against the headboard as he flips through a book spread open on his lap, while Bonnie is already snug under the blankets with only her eyes and nose visible. She pokes her head up out of her cocoon of blankets when she spies Ash at the door. "Ash!" she says enthusiastically and pats the bed on the side not currently occupied by Clemont. "Clemont's gonna read us a story! Come sit here!"

Ash eyes the space between the wall and Bonnie dubiously. "I'll wake you both up trying to get off the bed later though…"

Bonnie giggles. "Of course you won't, silly! You can sleep here with us!"

"Huh?" Both Ash and Clemont say at the same time, startled.

"But Bonnie, Ash doesn't need to sleep…" Not that Clemont minds sharing, of course – even if three really _will_ make a crowd – but surely Ash will get bored staying here while they sleep.

"Doesn't matter!" Bonnie insists, a stubborn look on her face. "Please, Ash?"

She turns pleading eyes on Ash, who falters slightly. It seems Bonnie is still afraid of letting him out of her sight,on the off-chance that he'll disappear again. He looks to Clemont; it's his bed, after all. Staying put while Clemont and Bonnie sleep will be kind of boring, but Ash is willing to put up with the boredom if it helps comfort Bonnie and convince her that he isn't planning on leaving any time soon.

Clemont makes a face at his stubborn sister and then sighs. "Sorry, Ash, I don't think we can talk her out of this…" He shrugs a little at the robot, trying to convey ' _I don't mind if you do, but it's up to you'_ in response to Ash's unspoken question.

Ash's face brightens and he laughs. "Ah, it's okay! I don't mind." Sudden enthusiasm lights up his eyes. "I've never slept before! I've always wondered what it's like…"

Clemont hides a smile as Bonnie cheers at achieving her goal. "It's very refreshing?" he offers. It's always rather endearing to watch Ash get excited about mundane human things – first food, now sleep. Ash always looks a little disappointed that he can't eat things the way they do, like he's missing out on a valuable experience, so Clemont tries to think of a way to explain sleep to the robot in a way that Ash will understand. "It's mainly a chance for the body to recover and recharge."

Ash's eyes light up in understanding. "Ohhh, like how I have to recharge my batteries sometimes?"

Clemont nods. "It's much the same. Humans can't recharge off electricity though, so we have to sleep when we're tired instead… but you always feel good after a good night's rest!"

"And sometimes you dream!" Bonnie adds. Ash looks confused, so Clemont tries to explain the concept of dreams to the robot as well. _Does Ash dream?_ Clemont wonders as he talks. _He doesn't sleep like we do, and I don't know if recharging really counts as 'sleep'… but then again, he has hopes. Dreams for the future. Imagination. Ash is already so much like a person, who's to say he wouldn't dream if he slept?_

"Huh, sounds like fun!" Ash comments when Clemont finishes explaining, looking interested. "I'm gonna try it!" The robot starts to climb onto the bed before remembering Pikachu, still held in his arms. "Ah, I have to keep an eye on Pikachu though…"

"There's enough room for Pikachu too," Clemont tells him kindly. He might be stretching the truth a bit – the bed is only barely going to fit the three of them – but he doesn't want to dampen both Ash and Bonnie's excitement.

Ash glances over the bed, hesitates, and then holds Pikachu out to Clemont. "Sorry, could you…?"

"Of course!" Clemont lays down his book to accept the small bundle of blanket and Pikachu from Ash. Pikachu twitches in his sleep and Clemont freezes, worried that he's woken him, but Pikachu just grumbles quietly and tucks his tail closer in towards his body. Clemont breathes out a quiet sigh of relief.

With Pikachu safe in Clemont's arms, Ash is free to kick off his shoes (he's noticed that neither Clemont nor Bonnie seem to wear shoes to bed, but socks seem to be alright). He hesitates a moment, realising he doesn't have anything like the special clothes Clemont and Bonnie seem to sleep in, but ends up mentally shrugging and yanking his shirt over his head, leaving his undershirt on. _I guess that'll do._

"Won't you get cold?" Bonnie asks curiously as Ash climbs carefully onto the bed, doing his best to avoid crawling over the top of any stray limbs and settles down between Bonnie and the wall. Ash laughs in response, stretching his arms out to Clemont to take Pikachu back.

"Thanks, Clemont. Bonnie, I'm a robot, remember? Cold doesn't bother me," Ash grins. Clemont passes him a spare pillow; half of it is immediately claimed as Pikachu's bed as Ash sets the sleeping Pokémon down softly. "Sleep well, buddy," he says quietly, running a hand over Pikachu's fur before looking at Bonnie expectantly. "Now what?"

"You get under the covers and Clemont reads us a bedtime story!" Bonnie says, enthusiastic. At that, Ash scrambles under the blankets and Clemont has two pairs of eager eyes staring at him expectantly. Clemont can't help the indulgent smile that spreads across his face at the sight and he rifles quickly through the pages of the storybook in front of him to hide it.

"Once upon a time, in a faraway valley…"

As Clemont reads on, Ash feels small fingers curl around one of his hands. He blinks in bemusement, only getting a wide grin for explanation, but he lets Bonnie keep a hold of his hand. She's captured one of her brother's hands as well, not that Clemont seems to mind at all. Her grip on his hand never wavers, even as Clemont finishes up the story and Ash realises with some surprise that Bonnie has fallen asleep, a smile on her face as she hugs their hands to her chest. Her brother smiles softly, leaning down to give her a good night kiss on the forehead.

When he straightens, he sends a look of concern in Ash's direction. "Are you going to be alright?" Clemont asks as he places the book on the bedside table. "I'm not sure if you'll actually be able to sleep…"

"It's okay, I don't mind staying here anyway if I can't," Ash says with a shrug. Clemont looks like he wants to say more but a large yawn cuts off anything he might say quite effectively. Clemont nods instead, reaching over to turn off the bedside lamp and shuffling down under the covers.

"Goodnight Ash," he hears Clemont mumble, the words fading into the slow and steady breathing of deep sleep. Ash's mouth twitches in a small smile.

"'Night, Clemont. 'Night Bonnie. 'Night Pikachu," he whispers, closing his own eyes. Ash has no idea either whether he's even capable of sleeping, but if not, Ash is quite happy to watch over his family as they sleep and recharge.

* * *

Thanks for reading! C:


	10. Chapter 10

_Well, clearly_ someone _was going to get sick from being out in all that rain..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10**_

Clemont wakes slowly to the sound of a conversation going on over his head. His eyelids are heavy and it's too much of a struggle to open them so he keeps them closed and lets the conversation wash over him as his mind drifts. It's too hot under the blankets; he can feel his skin burning up and it's hard to breathe properly. He should push them aside and cool down, but his limbs feel like jelly and he's just so tired…

Bonnie's voice. "He doesn't look so good…"

"I'll check his temperature." _That_ voice belongs to Ash. Clemont wonders why both of them are in his room, let alone sitting on his bed. It takes embarrassingly long moments before he remembers Bonnie's stubbornness and how it ended in the three of them curling up in the one bed. Trying to think is like trying to wade through cotton wool and Clemont realises in a vague and detached way that he's sick.

Blessedly cool fingers slip under his fringe and press against his forehead. Clemont sighs in content at the brief reprieve from the heat. "He's got a fever," Ash's voice reports. The hand starts to lift away and a small whine escapes Clemont before he can stop himself (Clemont's pretty sure he'd be blushing in embarrassment by now if he was in normal health). Still, embarrassing or not, it achieves the result he wants – Ash's hand hovers for a second in indecision before settling back against his forehead. Clemont leans into the touch – _feels nice_ – and hears a huff of fond laughter above him.

"I'm not surprised." Bonnie's voice again. Somehow his little sister manages to sound worried and exasperated all at the same time. "He spent a lot of time out in the rain yesterday."

"Yeah…"

Even with his eyes closed, Clemont can still feel the waves of guilt emanating from Ash. That won't do; no matter how nice it is to curl up here with Ash's hand cool against overheated skin, Clemont refuses to let Ash feel bad about this. It's not the robot's fault that Clemont's not immune to the rain.

He struggles to open his eyes – not that it matters, because the world is just a bleary mess of colour without his glasses – and lifts a hand to touch Ash's wrist and get his friend's attention. "Not your fault," Clemont croaks, words scratching at his sore and dry throat. "Don't –" He breaks off into a coughing fit.

The blurry patch of colour that Clemont assumes is Bonnie slips off the bed as Ash helps him sit up. "Take it easy," Ash says in concern, leaving one hand on his back to steady him as Bonnie comes back with a glass of water. Clemont drinks it gratefully, the water wonderfully soothing on his throat. He sets the empty glass on the bedside table and reaches for his glasses – luckily, they're still where he left them last night. Bonnie and Ash's worried faces snap into clarity as he puts them on.

"Thank you," Clemont says, looking between the two of them. He focuses on Ash. "Ash, please don't blame yourself. I was the one who went out in the rain without an umbrella after all."

"But you're sick," Ash says dispiritedly.

"I'm fine, really –" Clemont says, intending to get out of bed and prove just that, despite his entire body feeling like he's been running up all the stairs in Prism Tower. However, when he tries to move, Ash catches his shoulders and pushes him gently back down onto the bed.

"Nope," Ash tells him. "You're staying in bed today and resting." The robot folds his arms and nods once as if to say _and that's that!_

"But the Gym –" Clemont tries to protest.

"Don't worry about the Gym, I'll take care of it," Ash interrupts. He grins at Clemont. "After all, I'm a Lumiose Gym Leader too, right?"

It takes longer than it should for Ash's words to sink in, but when they do finally filter through Clemont can't help the burst of happiness that fills his heart. They're an apology and a declaration all in one – _Lumiose Gym Leader_ rather than simply _Pokémon Trainer_ – a statement that Ash really does intend to stay with the two of them here in Lumiose. It's a huge relief for Clemont, but at the same time so very bittersweet because Clemont knows this means Ash might never get to achieve his own dream. _I'll do my best to make sure Ash can grow here as well!_

So he returns Ash's bright smile and nods, hiding away the sadness he can feel burning at the corners of his eyes. "Right!"

Ash's grin gets impossibly wider and he claps Clemont on the arm before jumping off the bed. "Thanks Clemont! You get some rest!"

Bonnie darts in and throws her arms around Clemont's neck in a big hug. "Get better soon, bro!"

"Thank you," he replies, hugging her back and taking care not to breathe on her. One of them being sick is more than enough. "Ah!" he says suddenly. "Someone needs to cook Bonnie's meals and –"

"Clemont," Ash says sternly, hands on hips as he leans forward. "Stop worrying and leave it to me. We'll manage somehow!"

"Yeah, don't worry about me!" Bonnie adds brightly. "I'm gonna help Ash look after you."

"But…" Clemont helplessly starts. He's already causing both of them so much trouble. Ash will have his hands full with the Gym and Bonnie; there's no need to tend to him as well. He can manage.

"You're always looking after us. Let us look after you!" Bonnie tells him with a serious face, guessing his thoughts accurately. Behind her, Ash makes a noise of agreement and nods, arms crossed. Clemont looks between the two of them and gives in. He'd have a better chance at withstanding a herd of stampeding Tauros. "Alright," he sighs, sliding back under the covers. "Sorry for all the trouble…"

Ash and Bonnie disappear out the door as he settles back against the pillows. He's just about to take his glasses off again – Clemont can feel sleep creeping up on him again – when Ash pops his head back through the door, looking sheepish. "Actually, there is one thing you can do for me…?" the robot says, voice rising into a questioning tone at the end.

"Anything," Clemont smiles, propping himself up on his elbows again.

"Well, uh… since I'm gonna be running the Gym for the day, could you watch over Pikachu for me?" Ash asks, sounding hesitant.

Clemont blinks. Surely Ash doesn't think he'd refuse _that_? "Of course."

"It's just… I know you're sick, so maybe you won't have the energy or something," Ash explains, coming back into the room with a sleeping Pikachu in his arms. "And you need to rest… but it's just, someone needs to look after him while he's still recovering – he's still weak and still refuses to go to a Pokémon Center and I'm worried he'll try to overwork himself before he's healed properly and – "

"Ash," Clemont interrupts, amused at the steady stream of words. "It's no trouble. I would be happy to look after Pikachu. He'll probably sleep a lot today while his body heals – like he is now – and I know that I'll probably sleep a lot today as well. Pikachu and I can keep each other company while we sleep."

The robot grins. "Thanks, Clemont," he says gratefully. He deposits the sleeping Pikachu carefully on the pillow next to the one Clemont is using. Pikachu mumbles quietly in his sleep, tucking his tail around his body more tightly. Ash looks over the Pokémon fondly, brushing a hand over the Pokémon's ears and eliciting a second, happier mumble. "I know you'll take good care of him."

Ash hovers as Clemont deposits his glasses on the bedside table and slides back under the covers again. "Just – be careful if you touch him," Ash blurts out suddenly. Clemont directs a questioning glance at the robot – or at least, he hopes it's directed at the robot considering the world is one massive blur once again – and Ash flushes. "I don't want you to get zapped while you're sick," he explains. "Pikachu's… well, you've seen it, he's not good with people."

"I know," Clemont says. The world is starting to go hazy again and suddenly it's a struggle just to keep his eyes open. "Don't worry, he'll be –" he starts before cutting off with a yawn. "– fine."

There's a huff of fond laughter. "Go to sleep, Clemont." Clemont feels Ash's cool hand rest against his burning forehead again and Clemont sighs, eyes slipping shut. Who was he to argue with that?

/\/\/\

"Pikapiiiii!" a voice calls from beside him as Clemont's eyes flutter open for the second time that day. At first, Clemont is confused – _why am I still in bed?_ – before memories start to trickle in. He can't help but hate how muddle-headed and stuffy he feels when he's sick.

It suddenly registers that he heard a voice calling somewhere nearby just before. He gropes for his glasses and smushes them onto his face, glancing around as he does so. He jumps in surprise when he turns his head and finds Pikachu staring back at him from the other pillow. "Oh, hello! You're finally awake," he says brightly, struggling to sit up. "How are you?"

Pikachu retreats a bit and Clemont wonders how he can possibly look threatening since he's a pathetic combination of pyjamas and sickness at the moment, but Pikachu still replies with a vaguely affirmative reply, which the inventor counts as a win. "I'm glad to hear it," he tells Pikachu sincerely, sighing mentally when the Pokémon just stares at him suspiciously.

Ash chooses that moment to poke his head around the doorframe. "Oh! You're awake!" the robot says brightly to Clemont, looking pleased. "Thanks, Pikachu!" he adds, turning his attention to Pikachu.

"Pika!" the electric Pokémon replies happily from his place on Clemont's pillow.

"Good timing!" Ash continues. "Lunch is almost ready –"

Bonnie's voice interrupts him from somewhere else in the apartment. "Ash, it's boiling!"

"– and I'll be right back!" the robot finishes hastily, dashing off. Clemont wonders if he should be worried about the state of his kitchen, if the apprehensive look on Ash's face had been anything to go by. He'll worry about it later.

"I wonder what's for lunch?" he says to Pikachu as he shuffles back to lean against the headboard. Clemont isn't feeling particularly hungry – just tired and achey and sniffly – but if Ash has gone to the trouble of trying to cook for him then he'll at least make an effort to eat.

Pikachu sniffs the air and makes a face. "Piiiiiika."

Clemont only has time to hope that Pikachu's response doesn't mean that anything's burning before Ash is back, this time bearing a tray. Apparently, everyone's going to eat lunch here, because Bonnie comes in behind Ash with a bowl piled with Pokémon food.

"Pikachu, here you go!" she says, putting the bowl on the end of his bed. Pikachu gives a happy 'Pika!' but stays where he is on Clemont's pillow. Whether that's because the Pokémon is waiting for Bonnie to move away from the bowl of food or simply because Ash is standing next to Clemont, he doesn't know. He accepts the tray from Ash with thanks, settling it on his lap. Thankfully, it seems Ash has tried his hand at soup rather than anything that might be harder for Clemont to eat with his sore throat.

"How are you feeling, Clemont?" Bonnie asks in concern as Ash starts clearing a space on the bedside table for a second bowl of soup.

"I've been better," Clemont admits, because he thinks trying to pretend he's fine is only going to earn him disapproving looks from his sister and friend. "Still much the same as this morning, actually."

Ash puts down the chair he was moving and comes back over to rest a cool hand against Clemont's forehead. It feels just as refreshing as it did this morning and Clemont closes his eyes. They flutter back open again when Ash's hand falls away – thankfully, he manages _not_ to whine at the loss this time – and the robot reports with a frown, "You've still got a fever… actually, it's up a bit since this morning."

"I'll be okay," Clemont promises. "I just need to keep resting and drink lots of fluids." Ash nods, still looking worried.

Luckily, Pikachu chooses that moment to jump over Clemont's blanket-covered legs and launch himself at Ash with a delighted 'Pikapi!'. Ash catches the small Pokémon easily, laughing as it nuzzles into his chest.

"Pikachu!" he greets Pikachu, hugging him. "Woah, take it easy, buddy! You're still injured, you know."

"Pikachuuuuuuu."

"I know, I know, you're looking much better now, but you should still be careful…" Ash tells the Pokémon, putting Pikachu down next to his bowl of food and sitting beside him. As he watches the robot rub Pikachu's ears, smiling at the whine of pleasure the Pokémon responds with, Clemont thanks Pikachu silently for managing to distract Ash from his worry. He doesn't want his friend to start blaming himself again.

Bonnie plonks herself into the chair beside the bed and digs into the soup. She makes a face at the first mouthful, but keeps eating. Bemused, Clemont tries a spoonful of his own. For Ash's first time cooking, it's not _that_ bad – sure, it's kind of bland (well, it's very bland) but that's preferable to something loaded with spices while he's still sick. Besides, it's not like Ash can taste-test his own food…

Ash must have seen the face Bonnie made because the robot says sheepishly, "Sorry, it probably doesn't taste that great. It's nothing like battling; I don't think I'm gonna be very good at cooking the way you are, Clemont."

"For your first time cooking, this isn't too bad," Clemont hastens to reassure him. "Besides, I've had a lot of practise; you're just starting out. I'm sure you'll get better the more you do it."

"Clemont's right!" Bonnie chimes in. "Just try your best!"

Ash grins, rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks, guys."

The conversation moves onto different things as the two siblings and Pikachu eat. Ash wants to recount one of the Gym matches he had that morning; apparently Magnemite had learnt a new move on the fly during the battle. Clemont makes a mental note to congratulate Magnemite. A small movement draws his attention to Pikachu and he sees with interest that the Pokémon has stopped eating to listen intently to Ash as he gestures wildly, describing the battle with gusto. _Interesting…_ Clemont thinks, eyes flicking back to Ash before Pikachu can sense his gaze. Although it is easy to forget with the way Ash and the electric Pokémon act, the truth is that Pikachu is still a wild Pokémon and they'll probably have to take him back to the flower garden once he is fully healed. _Unless Pikachu decides to stay with Ash, that is._ There is always that possibility, after all.

He's missed out on part of the conversation while he was thinking, because now Bonnie is enthusiastically talking about something else – that one idol's latest PokeVision, or so he thinks – with sweeping gestures of her spoon. Luckily, she's already finished her soup, so Clemont isn't getting accidentally splattered every time she does so. Pikachu has finished eating as well, sitting on Ash's lap to demand more head scratches from the robot.

"Ash, have you checked Pikachu's injuries yet?" Clemont asks, resting his spoon in his soup carefully.

The robot exchanges a glance with Pikachu before he looks back up at Clemont. "No, not yet. Should I?"

"Yes, you should check how well they're healing. I meant to check before, but I fell asleep…" _And Pikachu wouldn't have let_ me _do it anyway_ is the unspoken part of the sentence, but Ash seems to understand. "Bonnie, could you get the first aid kit, please?"

"Okay!" Bonnie hops off her chair and darts out the door.

With Bonnie out of earshot, Clemont quietly asks Ash, "How's your shoulder?" He doesn't want to ask in front of Bonnie; both he and Ash had agreed to downplay the events of yesterday to stop her worrying more than she had been. Ash hadn't gotten injured in that version.

"Oh!" Ash looks surprised, looking down at said shoulder. "I'd completely forgotten about it, to tell the truth," the robot says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Clemont smiles. "Well, I guess that's a good sign."

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt or anything," Ash says enthusiastically, rolling his shoulder to demonstrate. "You did a good job fixing it!" He grins at Clemont. "Thanks!"

"Ah, you're welcome!" His fever must be getting worse, because now his face feels flushed.

Bonnie comes back with the Pokémon medical kit clutched in both hands and Ash takes it with grateful thanks, putting it up on the bed beside him. Clemont manages to catch Bonnie's attention and pats the bed beside him; he doesn't think Pikachu will appreciate having anyone who isn't Ash close by while he's vulnerable. Although she looks a bit disappointed, Bonnie perches on the bed next to her brother.

"You need to finish your soup," she tells him.

"Yes, yes." Clemont eyes his soup and sighs, picking up the spoon again. He's really not that hungry and he's starting to feel tired again, but he tries a few more mouthfuls under his sister's watchful gaze. Meanwhile, Ash is rummaging through the first-aid kit, Pikachu in his lap. "Do you remember what to do?" he asks the robot.

"Yeah, I think so. First I gotta unwrap this part…"

Pikachu is surprisingly patient as Ash methodically checks over the Pokémon's injuries. Clemont is proud to see that Ash remembers nearly everything that Clemont has taught him so far about looking after injured Pokémon. It's unsurprising though; Ash always has an incredible memory when it comes to anything about Pokémon, even if nothing else.

There's a few things Clemont has to help Ash with, directing from his seat against the headboard, but soon enough Ash is packing away bandages and salve as Pikachu curls up on his lap. "Does that feel better, Pikachu?" Ash asks.

"Pikaaaaaa!" Pikachu cheers as he raises a paw, making the trio laugh. Unfortunately, Clemont's laugh turns quickly into a cough.

"I'm – fine," Clemont splutters in between coughs. He tries to wave a concerned Bonnie and Ash off, but the two of them cluster around anyway – Bonnie with another glass of water and Ash to pat him on the back. Eventually, the coughing fit subsides and he slumps back, his eyes slipping closed. All of a sudden, his entire body feels exhausted.

Ash's hand slips under his fringe again and he hears the robot letting out a serious-sounding 'hmm' at whatever Clemont's temperature actually is. "Well, I guess I'd better get back to the Gym so you can get some rest…" Ash says reluctantly.

Rest sounds really good right now. "Okay," Clemont sighs, making an effort to open his eyes and see everyone off properly, in any case. "Thanks for lunch, Ash, Bonnie."

The robot grins and ruffles Clemont's hair a bit in reply. As Ash starts to collect up the empty dishes and pile them on the tray, Bonnie leans in and hugs Clemont tightly around the middle. "Take care, Clemont! Get lots of rest!"

Clemont hugs her back. "I will," he promises. "Make sure you wake me up for dinner if I'm still asleep, okay?"

He feels Bonnie nod against him before she lets go. "We will!"

"See ya both later, Clemont, Pikachu!" Ash says, heading for the door with Bonnie.

"Pikapi!"

Ash turns around at the call as Pikachu jumps forward. Seeing him sitting on the edge of the bed, the robot sighs and kneels down beside the bed so he is looking Pikachu in the eyes. "Pikachu, you need to stay here with Clemont and rest too," Ash tells Pikachu seriously.

Pikachu's ears lay back, as the Pokémon slumps in dejection. "Chuuuu," he says miserably.

Ash smiles sadly. "I get it, I really do – you wanna come with me right?" He nods as Pikachu perks up with a sound of agreement and pets the Pokémon's head. "But you gotta stay here and get better, or I'll worry too much about you," he continues. "Besides, I'm counting on you to look after Clemont as well – I'm worried about him too. Can you do that for me, please?"

Pikachu looks up at Ash for a moment before switching his gaze over to Clemont and then staring at the bed under his feet. Everyone waits with baited breath until Pikachu looks up at Ash again. "Pika, pikapi!" the electric Pokémon says, placing a paw to his heart in a clear _leave it to me_ gesture.

"Great! Thanks, buddy," Ash says with a smile, winking at Clemont as he pets Pikachu's head. Clemont has to smile at Ash's ingenuity – if Pikachu feels like he's doing Ash a favour by staying here and watching over Clemont, then he'll be more inclined to accept staying here. "Come get me if either of you need anything, alright?" Both Clemont and Pikachu nod.

With one last pat to Pikachu's head and a ruffle of an amused Clemont's hair, Ash leaves with Bonnie, pulling the door over to ensure some quiet. Clemont drowses for a minute, listening vaguely to the murmur of their voices – he can't make out words – until something taps him on the side of the face gently. The sight of Pikachu actually sitting on his chest to pat at his face wakes him into alertness almost immediately.

"Pikaaaa Pipika chuuuuu," Pika scolds him gently.

Clemont can guess what the Pokémon is trying to tell him. "Okay, I'll lay down properly…" Pikachu nods and jumps off him to curl back up on the other pillow as Clemont removes his glasses and shuffles further under the sheets.

He's out like a light the second his head hits the pillow.

/\/\/\

The next morning, Clemont's fever is worse.

Bonnie hovers anxiously at Ash's side as the robot frowns down at the sick blond. "I thought you said you'd be okay if you rested?" Ash asks, a note of accusation in his voice. "Your temperature is still too high, Clemont."

Under Ash's hand, Clemont smiles faintly. He needs to concentrate carefully despite his light-headedness in order to form a coherent reply. "I will be, but something like this isn't going to go away overnight."

He squints up at Ash as the robot reclaims his hand. "Why not?" Ash asks, sounding put out.

Clemont can't help it; even though it kind of hurts to do so, he has to laugh at how disgruntled Ash seems over the idea that he isn't miraculously better overnight. "Humans heal a lot slower than you do, Ash," he tries explaining. It's not entirely Ash's fault for expecting that result when Clemont thinks about it. Ash only has the injuries that the Pokémon and he have gotten as reference – and it's not like Ash can get sick.

Ash crouches, folding his arms on top of the bed covers and resting his chin atop them. His features aren't as blurry at this range, and Clemont watches the disgruntlement change to thoughtfulness. "You should invent something to fix that then," Ash informs him seriously.

This time, both Bonnie and Clemont laugh, although Clemont regrets it almost immediately as his laughter turns into another coughing fit. Ash hands him the glass of water from the bedside table, looking confused.

Bonnie decides to take pity on the robot, since her brother isn't up to explaining right now. "That's what medicine is for, silly!"

"Medicine?" Ash repeats, blinking. A look of dawning comprehension appears on his face. "You mean like the stuff I use on Pikachu and the other Pokémon?" He looks over towards the electric Pokémon nestled on Clemont's pillow, still seriously following Ash's request the day before to look after Clemont.

"Yes, but Pokémon medicine won't work on humans," Clemont clarifies, still coughing a bit as he puts the glass back. He has a sudden vision of Ash trying to heal him with the Super Potion in the Pokémon first-aid kit. "You need human medicine."

"I looked yesterday, though," Bonnie says with worry, drawing Ash's attention. "We're out."

"Oh, it's okay, it's not vital," Clemont reassures her. "It just means it'll take a bit longer for me to get better, that's all."

"Alright then!" Ash says, standing up suddenly. "That means I'll just have to go out and get some!" he declares. "I can shut the Gym down for an hour or so, it's not like we get challengers this early in the morning." Before Clemont can protest – really, his fever will go down within a day or so anyway – Ash has already turned to the others in the room. "Bonnie, Pikachu, can you guys stay here and look after Clemont for me 'til I get back?"

"You can count on us!" Bonnie says cheerfully, echoed by a 'Pika!' from the smaller Pokémon.

"Great, thank you!" Ash replies with a grateful grin. He gets as far as the door before stopping dead and spinning around again. "Ah, I almost forgot!" he says, hurrying back over to Clemont's bedside as he unclips the Pokéballs at his waist. Clemont holds his hands out automatically as Ash drops the Pokéballs containing Clemont's Pokémon into them. "I shouldn't need these guys with me while I'm out, so I'll leave them with you," the robot explains as Clemont blinks down at the red and white spheres.

"Are you going to be okay without any of them?" Clemont asks, looking up at Ash. He has a feeling he should argue; after all, look at what happened the last time Ash went out without any Pokémon! What if that trio of Pokémon thieves show up again?

Before Clemont can try and voice any of this in any sort of coherent fashion, Ash grins. "Yeah, I'll be fine," he replies. "Plus, these guys," he waves a hand at the Pokéballs, "were really worried about you when I said you were sick yesterday and they wanted to come check on you as well."

"Oh. Okay." Clemont's mind is too foggy to think of a reply. His fingers close on the Pokéballs. "Thank you…"

"I'm gonna come back as soon as I can with the medicine, okay?" Ash tells him, brushing Clemont's fringe aside and bending over to press a quick but gentle kiss to his forehead. "You rest." The robot straightens and waves to the other two in the room as he rushes out the door. "See ya, Pikachu, Bonnie!"

"Pikaaaaa!"

"Bye, Ash!" Bonnie calls, waving after the departing robot. She drops her hand and pouts. "Aw, I wanted a forehead kiss too…"

Clemont blinks, replaying the last few seconds in his mind and raises a hand slowly to touch his forehead. _Wait… did he just…_ " _Whhhhhaaaaaaaa?!_ " he exclaims, feeling his face flush bright red. He's definitely not feeling muddle-headed _now_. "Wha – wha – what was that?" He covers his face in embarrassment.

Bonnie just laughs, skipping over to his side. "I think it's sweet!" she says with a fond smile. Clemont peers through his fingers at her, face still bright red. Bonnie takes pity on her brother. "Well, Ash learns a lot from copying us, right?" she explains. "And he watches you say good night to me all the time, so…"

 _Just a form of imitation…_ "Ah, that's true, I suppose…" Clemont says, trailing off. _But still…!_ He thinks he might curl up in bed for a while until his face goes back to fever-flushed rather than red from embarrassment.

"Ah, Clemont, Clemont, before you go to sleep!" Bonnie says eagerly, tugging at the sleeve of his pyjamas. "Can I look after your Pokémon? _Please_? I promise I'll take good care of them!"

Bonnie has groomed his Pokémon before – it's one of her favourite pastimes, since she can't have her own Pokémon yet – and they're all responsible enough to leave in Bonnie's care while he sleeps. Plus, Ash had said everyone was worried about him, so letting them know he was alright – sick, yes, but not in danger – seems like a good thing to do. "Alright," he agrees.

"Yaaaaay!" Bonnie cheers. Beside Clemont, Pikachu's ears lay back at the outburst but he doesn't move from his spot. Clemont takes this as a sign that the electric-type isn't going to spook at more Pokémon appearing – although he's fairly sure it's just humans that Pikachu seems to be wary of – and releases all of his Pokémon from their Pokéballs.

"Zaaaaa!" Heliolisk leaps into his lap, resting his paws on Clemont's shoulders to peer worriedly at him. Bunnelby hops onto the bed as well, sitting beside him as Magneton and Magnemite hover behind the brown Pokémon in concern.

"I'll be okay," he reassures the concerned Pokémon crowding around him. "It's just a cold from being out in the rain. Ash has gone to get me some medicine to help as well, alright?" This seems to cheer all of them up; they trust Ash to make sure their Trainer is alright. Clemont smiles and pats them all; Magnemite and Magneton float within easy reach so he doesn't have to stretch. He almost absentmindedly pats Pikachu as well, but catches himself just in time when he senses the small Pokémon tensing up. "Ah, sorry!" Clemont apologises. Pikachu blinks up at him for a few moments with a considering look on its face before it gently head-butts his hand with a cheerful-sounding ' _Pikachu!_ ', so it seems he's forgiven his faux pas.

However, their exchange has attracted the attention of Clemont's Pokémon – apparently, all of his partner Pokémon had been so busy worrying over Clemont that they haven't even noticed the unknown Pikachu sitting on his pillow. Pikachu looks a bit unnerved as four sets of eyes stare his way and Clemont takes pity on him. "Everyone, this is Pikachu," he says, gesturing towards Pikachu. "Pikachu got hurt helping Ash out the other day so he's staying with us while he recovers."

Clemont's Pokémon all chorus a happy greeting to the newcomer and Pikachu brightens, giving a pleased reply back with a wave. _Well, it looks like they're getting along alright_ , Clemont thinks fondly, scratching Heliolisk behind the ears as Heliolisk sprawls over his lap, chattering animatedly with Pikachu. He can feel his eyelids starting to droop shut though and he has to stifle a yawn behind his hand. "I'm going to sleep a bit," he tells everyone, "but Bonnie will look after you until either I wake up or Ash gets back, so please listen to her."

He gets another chorus of agreement in reply as Bonnie dances around with happiness at the thought of looking after all four of his Pokémon. All of his Pokémon press close to hug him as best as they can, drawing a sleepy smile from Clemont as he returns it, before they proceed to hop off the bed to gather around Bonnie and the brush in her hand. Only Pikachu stays on the bed, waiting until Clemont has slid under the covers again before he curls up on his pillow once more. "You're still looking after me, huh?" Clemont asks, craning his neck to look at the electric Pokémon.

"Pika!" It seems Ash has made himself a very loyal friend, if Pikachu is still willing to sit near someone he doesn't particularly trust simply because Ash has asked him to. Clemont wonders if Pikachu will ever warm to _him._ An irrational part of him really wishes that he and Pikachu could become friends, because clearly he's found a kindred soul who cares just as much about his robot as himself or Bonnie. _Right, definitely time to go to sleep._

"Good night," he informs the room at large, not caring that it's still only morning as he drifts off to sleep.

* * *

Thanks for reading! C:


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

Somewhere on a bustling street in the midst of Lumiose City, three people sit around a table outside a small café. However, to say 'three people' is misleading, for if one looked closely at the shortest member of the group, one might find something decidedly…. _Meowthy_ about them.

The three members of Team Rocket stare glumly at the single croissant sitting on a plate in the very centre of the table; this was all the trio had could afford with the money they had been able to scrounge up.

"One measly croissant…" James whines, resting his chin on the table. "I can't believe we only have enough for _one measly croissant_ … that's barely anything!"

"We spent our entire budget on that electric cage," Meowth replies, propping elbows up on the edge of the table as well. "And the Boss ain't gonna give us any more money either until we have somethin' good to give him."

All three of them shudder at the thought of having to report their failure to the leader of Team Rocket and face the inevitable angry tirade about what imbeciles they all are. Jessie growls, slamming her hands down on the table and making her fellow team members jump in surprise as cutlery clatters to the ground. "This is all that twerp's fault!" she grinds out, tablecloth bunching in clenched fingers. "If I ever see him again, I'll show him _and_ that pesky Pikachu just who's in charge!"

"Yeah!" James and Meowth cheer. The redhead snatches up the croissant and goes to take a big bite out of it, still scowling dangerously. Before her teeth can make contact with the pastry, however, two hands reach out and attempt to wrestle it out of her grip.

"Hey, no fair! I wanted to eat that!"

"Leave a piece for Meowth!"

Jessie yanks on the croissant angrily. "Both of you couldn't even defeat a tiny Pikachu!" she says scornfully. "Since Pumpkaboo did the best, this croissant is mine!"

"I was the one who put that cage together!" her teammate complains, making another grab for the pastry as Jessie moves it out of reach. "And Inkay did just as well as Pumpkaboo in that battle!"

"Hey, are you both forgetting _I_ was the one who came up with the plan?!" Meowth protests. "If anyone deserves that croissant, it's me!"

"The plan didn't even work!"

"It was working fine until that pipsqueak Pikachu and the twerp started messing things up!" Meowth retorts angrily. The three glare at each other for long moments, the croissant still held firmly away from them all in Jessie's hand, until Meowth relents, folding his arms. "There's only one way to decide this…" he says in a serious tone, nodding sagely.

"…Scissors, paper, rock!" James chimes in, leaning forward eagerly.

Jessie considers this a moment, then drops the croissant back onto the plate. "Alright, let's do this!" she says, a determined look on her face. Meowth sweatdrops. _Jessie's kinda scary when she wants something…_

The three of them each hold out a hand over the croissant. "Ready? Scissors, paper, ro–!"

A nearby voice floats past their table. "Uh, excuse me, ma'am?"

The trio freeze in their seats at the sound of the familiar voice. "That voice just now –" Meowth asks nervously, glancing around. "It sounded like –"

James inhales sharply and waves a frantic hand at Meowth for the Pokémon to be quiet as he peers cautiously around the leaves of the giant pot plant next to their table. "It's the twerp!" he hisses almost inaudibly, edging sideways to make sure he's hidden completely by the plant. Jessie and Meowth abandon their seats and inch forward, both peeking through their leafy cover.

It is indeed the twerp who had so thoroughly thwarted their plans the day before. He looks none the worse for wear after their encounter – _of course not, he's not the one who had to spend hours picking mud and wet leaves out of his hair afterwards!_ Jessie thinks with a scowl – and luckily for Team Rocket, it appears he hasn't noticed them there at all.

The trio strain their ears to shamelessly try and eavesdrop on the twerp's conversation with an older lady. It's hard to make out the whole conversation, but it appears the kid is lost and looking for directions to a pharmacy, if the occasional words like 'medicine shop' and 'bandages' and his worried expression are anything to go by. The lady points across the square with a kind look on her face, to which the twerp immediately brightens and thanks her before running off again in the indicated direction. He doesn't go far, disappearing inside a shop on the opposite side of the square to the café.

Potential threat now safely out of sight for the moment, Meowth takes the opportunity to pull over a second pot plant for more cover, just in case the kid comes running past again. As he manoeuvrers it into place with a grunt of effort, Jessie and James exchange glances.

"A pharmacy for medicine and bandages, huh?" James whispers speculatively. "I wonder what he's going there for…"

"Isn't it obvious? There's only one reason he'd go there today," Jessie declares, her eyes aflame with the fire of a new, success-guaranteed plan. "It must be for treating that Pikachu's injuries!"

"Oh!" James eyes light up in understanding and he grins at Jessie. "So if we follow him when he comes out, we'll be able to find that pesky Pikachu!"

An evil grin spreads across Meowth's face, identical to the ones his fellow team mates currently sport. "And then we'll capture it while it's still weak from the battle!" he chimes in, rubbing his paws together with dark glee. "That Pikachu is a powerful Pokémon, it'll make the perfect present for the boss!"

"He'll be so happy, he might even give us a bonus!" James says excitedly, a cheering thought to the other two. They all cackle madly for a moment; so caught up in their daydreams that none of them notice a flash of light escaping Jessie's waist.

"Wobbuffet!" the blue Pokémon agrees loudly as he appears, only to be piled upon by the other members of Team Rocket.

"Ssssh! Be quiet, Wobbuffet!" Jessie hisses, all of them suddenly remembering that they are, in fact, in public and that the other café patrons are now starting to stare at them. The trio fall silent as they settle in to wait for their target to re-emerge.

And wait.

And wait.

"Geez, what's taking him so long?!" Jessie demands irritably. "Come out already!"

"Ssssssh!" James and Meowth both hiss, motioning her to be quiet. "Keep watching, or we might miss him when he comes out." She huffs in annoyance, but stays quiet.

As they continue to wait – _what is he doing in there, buying the whole shop?!_ – Meowth eyes their paltry cover of pot plants and decides it could use a bit of sprucing up. He spots another pot plant near another empty table not far from their own. "You guys keep watch, I'll be back in a minute!" he says, jumping down from his seat.

"Meowth?" James calls quietly after him, but Meowth just waves a paw at him and continues to sneak over to the other pot plant. Behind him, he hears Wobbuffet ask what they're all looking for in a loud voice, only to get shushed again by Jessie and James.

He reaches his target without any difficulties and is in the process of figuring out how to move it back to their table without attracting attention when suddenly the empty table beside him becomes decidedly _not_ empty. Meowth darts behind the pot plant as two teenagers – Pokémon Trainers, judging by the Pokéballs on their belts – plunk themselves down at the table. _Geez, of all the tables they hadta pick!_

"– was awesome! But _man_ , the Lumiose Gym is tough!" One of them groans good-naturedly, running hands through his hair. "Me and Slurpuff will have to do some hard training before we challenge it again!"

The other boy laughs. "Yeah, I had to challenge that Gym three times before I won my badge!"

"Oh! You've already got the Voltage Badge? Lemme see!" There's the rustle of cloth as the speaker leans forwards excitedly. "That's so cool! Do you have any tips?"

Meowth rolls his eyes, hoping that they finish their conversation soon so he can sneak back to Jessie and James without being seen. It doesn't seem likely, however, as the other boy hums thoughtfully and replies, "That depends, who did you battle?"

"Who…? The Gym Leader, of course! Clemont!" _Oh, I think I know that one._ Meowth taps his chin thoughtfully, trying to think back to the briefing documents they'd been given on the Kalos region. _He's the blond nerdy looking one with glasses, right?_

"Ahh, I forget you're not from Lumiose. For the past few months we've had two Gym Leaders – one is Clemont and the other one's a robot."

 _A what?_ Meowth rubs at his ears. _Did I hear that correctly?_

"A robot?" his companion repeats, sounding just as incredulous as Meowth feels. Meowth's ears perk up; apparently he hadn't misheard after all. _A robot? This sounds like it could be valuable information!_ Maybe getting stuck behind a pot plant while these kids chattered away wasn't such a bad thing after all!

"It's true! My first Gym battle here was against it. I was so surprised that I got kind of distracted during the first round!" The kid laughs. "My second time was against Clemont. Their styles are kinda different, you know? But they're both pretty incredible, I guess that's why they're Gym Leaders."

The first Trainer leans forward, asking questions excitedly, but Meowth has already tuned out. _A robot acting as a Gym Leader! This could be a great opportunity! I gotta tell Jessie and James, quick!_

Both of the kids at the table seem utterly engrossed in their conversation, so Meowth takes the risk and darts back to his teammates' table. "Guys! Guys!" he hisses, jumping back onto his seat. "I just came across a _very_ interestin' piece of information."

"Oh?" James says in interest. However, Jessie doesn't look around and merely flaps a hand in their direction with a shushing noise.

"No, you're gonna wanna hear this," Meowth insists. _That_ gets both of his teammates' attention and they lean forward in a conspiratorial huddle as Meowth fills them in on the conversation he'd overheard in a whisper.

"A Gym Leader robot…" Jessie repeats when Meowth finishes talking. A small, devious smile appears on her face as she glances at James.

"Not just any robot, a robot that controls Pokémon!" Meowth points out.

"A robot like that would make a great addition to the team!" James adds in an excited whisper.

Jessie's grin grows wider. "Not to mention, that robot is part of the Lumiose Gym," she tells them, leaning in further. "Just think of all the powerful Pokémon we could get our hands on at the same time!"

"We'd be unstoppable!" James and Meowth both cheer. The trio cackle with laughter again as they imagine their success. Wobbuffet starts to join in, but movement across the plaza catches his attention. A figure in a red and white hat is exit the pharmacy with plastic bag in hand; they pause just outside the door, looking around for something. Wobbuffet frantically tugs at his Trainer's skirt and when he finally has her (slightly annoyed) attention, the Pokémon flails unceremoniously in the direction of their target.

It takes a moment for his Trainer to catch on, but she grabs the other two as soon as she spots their target as well. "Hey! It's the twerp!" she hisses. "Quick, let's follow him! Good work, Wobbuffet."

"Wobbuffet!"

As the four of them sneak out from the cover of their wall of pot plants, James grabs the croissant still lying forgotten on the plate in the centre of the table. _Finders keepers!_ he thinks with a grin and stashes the pastry away in a pocket to eat later.

.

.

.

"Is he _lost_?" Meowth asks incredulously from behind the wall. They're following the twerp onto a familiar street for the third time in the last ten minutes and Meowth is starting to wonder just how they managed to lose to an idiot like this. Ahead of Team Rocket, the black-haired kid is looking around with a puzzled expression on his face.

Nevertheless, the three watch their prey intently until finally the kid seems to spot whatever he's looking for and goes dashing off again. Team Rocket follow behind as closely as they can, but find themselves falling further and further behind. The twerp runs _fast_ , almost inhumanly so. Eventually, they have to give up out of exhaustion, collapsing to the ground as they all pant for breath.

"This is ridiculous! Who even runs like that?!" Jessie demands of the world at large. James just shakes his head, too out of breath to reply. Meowth is the only one who keeps an eye on their target, and as such, realises that they've come to the central plaza that boasts Prism Tower at its heart. Meowth blinks as he watches the twerp slow down to a walk and disappear through the automatic doors at the base of the Tower.

"Ah guys?" he says. "It looks like he went into Prism Tower…"

James gets his breath back. "Isn't the Lumiose Gym located in Prism Tower as well?" he asks. Unnoticed by the purple-haired Trainer, one of his Pokéballs releases a small floating squid Pokémon in a flash of light, who immediately seizes the chance to snatch the hidden croissant from his Trainer's pocket and munch on it happily.

"Even better! We can grab all of them at the same time!" Jessie answers, eyes lighting up with fierce determination. "Our success will be the first step towards taking over the Kalos region!"

"Yeah!" her teammates cheer, throwing their hands up in the air.

Jessie gets to her feet. "They'd better be prepared for trouble!" she declares, striking a pose.

"And they'd better make that –" The declaration cuts off with a wail. "Ah! Inkay! My croissant!"

/\/\/\

Clemont dozes while Bonnie busies herself with grooming all of his Pokémon. He's not fully asleep – one ear is vaguely listening to the sound of Bonnie's voice and all his Pokémon just to make sure everything is going alright – but he's not really paying attention to anything much either, just drifting along in oblivion and trying to ignore how _hot_ he feels. It's only when his mind absently notes that he can't hear Bonnie anymore that he shifts back into a more wakeful state.

His eyes blink open to find Bonnie less than a few hand-widths away from his face, staring at him intently. Clemont startles, suddenly much more awake than he had been before. "Bonnie…?" His voice is slightly high-pitched and strangled from shock, but at least he manages to tamp down his initial reaction to shriek.

Bonnie doesn't reply. Clemont becomes aware that it's not actually _him_ that she's staring at when he notices Pikachu using his blanket-covered body as a shield to hide behind as the Pokémon peers over him at Bonnie. Clemont sighs. "Bonnie," he repeats reproachfully, propping himself up on his elbows (which is as far as he can get before he starts feeling dizzy again). He doesn't reach for his glasses even though the blurry world is giving him a headache because he plans on collapsing back into his pillow as soon as he can.

His sister finally breaks her staring match with Pikachu and looks up at him. "I just wanna brush Pikachu's fur and make it all shiny and soft," she complains, her cheeks puffing out in a pout, "but he won't come over."

Clemont falters a bit. It's not really Bonnie _or_ Pikachu's fault that one wants to genuinely look after the other and the other just doesn't want to be touched. Still, Pikachu has already shown his thoughts clearly on the matter and Clemont doesn't want anyone getting hit by a stray Thunderbolt from a nervous Pikachu again. He feels something brush against his arm and looks down to see Pikachu flattening himself to the bed to hide even further behind Clemont. "But Pikachu doesn't like it." he says patiently to Bonnie. "You remember what Ash said, right?"

 _'Bonnie, this is Pikachu. He's a bit wary of people at the moment, so make sure you give him some space, alright?'_

Clearly Bonnie does remember Ash's words from a few days ago, because the pout fades into a contrite look. "I'm sorry, Pikachu," she apologises. "I forgot."

Pikachu's head pokes up over his Clemont-shield, ears twitching he considers the small human girl. When it becomes clear that Bonnie isn't going to drag him away to brush his fur, Pikachu sits up properly. "Pika pika!" _No worries!_

Clemont smiles at both of them, pleased that they've worked things out and flops back down against his pillow. One arm covers his eyes – the light in here is _bright_ and isn't helping his headache – and almost immediately he can feel sweat starting to soak through his sleeve. "What time is it?" he mumbles. _How long was I asleep?_

Bonnie reads him the time off the clock and Clemont frowns against his arm. It's been almost two hours since Ash left – surely he should have been back by now? _I hope he hasn't run into trouble again!_

With his arm covering his eyes, Clemont misses the way Pikachu's ears prick up, but even still he barely has time to start worrying about Ash's continued absence before Pikachu is bounding over his stomach – _oof_ – crying out, "Pikapi!"

"Hahaha, heyyy Pikachu!" Clemont breathes a quiet sigh of relief against his arm at the sound of Ash's voice, filled with laughter. He peeks out from under his sleeve, but it's a pointless exercise without his glasses. With an internal sigh, Clemont struggles into a seated position, reaching blindly for his glasses. As he jams them on his nose, he's greeted with the sight of Ash greeting Bonnie and all the other Pokémon crowding around him. "Hi guys! You're all looking great!" The robot looks to Bonnie with a grin. "Thanks, Bonnie, you did a great job!"

"You're welcome!"

Vision restored, Clemont casts a worried eye over Ash, checking for any kind of injury. Much to his relief, the robot looks much the same as he did when he left, so it doesn't seem like Ash ran into any trouble while he was gone. The shoulder that Clemont had fixed also seems to be working properly, just as Ash had said – in fact, Pikachu is clinging to it, riding on Ash's shoulder as the robot came over to greet Clemont.

"I'm back!" Ash says cheerfully, stopping next to Clemont's bed and crouching down to eye level.

"Welcome back," Clemont replies with a smile, Bonnie chiming in behind Ash.

"You took ages!" Bonnie adds, hands on hips and a scolding note in her voice. He wasn't the only one who had been worrying, it seems. "What happened?"

Ash laughs sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Aha, well, to be honest… I… kinda got lost?" he offers. "I forgot how big Lumiose City actually is…"

Clemont blinks. "You… have a map of the city in your knowledge banks, though?"

"Oh yeah…" Ash says, trailing off thoughtfully. He flashes both of them a guilty grin. "I forgot about that!"

 _Typical Ash_ , both the siblings think in unison, sharing a smile and a fond shake of the head between them.

Ash brightens suddenly. "Ah, but Clemont, I got your medicine!" he says proudly, holding up a bag. "Here." He hands the medicine over to Clemont, who studies it for a moment to make sure it is, in fact, the right one. Luckily, it is.

"Thanks, Ash," he says gratefully. "You didn't have to go to all that trouble though."

Ash waves off his words. "Nah, 'course I did! Anyway, the lady at the pharmacy said they'd make you sleep, so I don't know if you want to take them now or not…"

"I could probably do with some more rest at the moment," Clemont admits. "My head really hurts and I still feel hot all over." Ash frowns at that and leans forward, resting his hand against Clemont's forehead to take Clemont's temperature again. His hand is refreshingly cool as always.

"Hrm," is all the robot says as he sits back, however, so Clemont figures his temperature can't be too high despite how light-headed he feels from the heat. Clemont downs some of the medicine with a glass of water as Ash settles Pikachu in his lap and checks over the Pokémon's bandages carefully.

"Everything looks okay for now so I'll change them a bit later, alright?" Ash says to Pikachu, rubbing the Pokémon's head. Clemont hides a laugh behind a hand when he sees Magneton and Magnemite not-so-subtly drift over in the hopes of getting a pat as well.

"You should get back to the Gym," he tells Ash as the robot predictably reaches out to rub the magnet duo's heads as well. Ash pauses mid-pat to shoot him a startled look. "I'm sure there will be challengers arriving there by now," Clemont explains. "You should go too, Bonnie. It'll be boring to just stay and watch me sleep." He smiles. "Besides, someone needs to cheer Ash on."

"Yeah… are you sure you'll be okay though?" Bonnie asks, leaning forward on the bed with a concerned look on her face. Behind her, Ash has almost the exact same expression on his face even as he gets up to do as Clemont has suggested.

"I'll be fine, don't worry!" he reassures them both. "I'll just be sleeping. Plus Pikachu's here to look after me, right?" he adds, glancing sideways at Pikachu as Ash sets him down beside Clemont carefully.

"Pika!" the electric Pokémon agrees.

"Thanks, buddy." Ash scratches Pikachu behind the ears and then whirls to face the rest of Clemont's Pokémon. "Alright then! We'll do our best at the Gym today for Clemont, right guys?"

The Pokémon chorus an enthusiastic agreement and they bound – or float, in the magnet Pokémon's case – over to Clemont for a final well-wishing before he returns them to their Pokéballs. "You take care as well," Clemont says as he places the Pokéballs into Ash's waiting hands. "Don't be reckless and get yourself injured again, alright?"

Ash laughs sheepishly. "I'll do my best?"

"That's all I need to hear," Clemont says with a smile, before breaking off into a yawn. His whole body feels heavy and the effort of keeping his eyes open is starting to be a much harder task than it was a minute previously. _Well, that medicine sure sets in fast_ , he thinks vaguely as he slides under the covers again. _After sleeping all day yesterday, you'd think I'd have a hard time trying to fall asleep now…_

"Good night again," he mumbles, eyes slipping closed. He feels Ash ruffle his hair fondly as Bonnie gives him a hug that he tries his best to return. Clemont's not sure how well he succeeds though, given that he's out like a light within seconds.

"Sleep well, Clemont," he hears as he drifts off into sleep.

/\/\/\

Unfortunately, his sleep is anything but restful: Clemont jerks awake, the remains of vague, unsettling dreams that he can't quite remember clinging on in his mind. He squeezes his eyes shut again, trying to both calm his shaking and ignore the sense of sickening foreboding settling in his stomach. There's no-one in the room with him when he squints around – he doesn't know what time it is, but there's still light filtering through his window so Ash and Bonnie must still be down at the Gym.

He can't stop shivering.

Clemont raises a hand blearily to check his own temperature and finds his bangs soaked with sweat. _Fever must have broken,_ he thinks, noting that part of the reason why he feels so gross at the moment is because he's sweated through his clothes. _That's one good thing, I guess._

It doesn't _feel_ like a good thing, even if the shivering and sweating is a sign that from here on he's slowly going to get better. Right now, Clemont just feels miserable as he curls up into a ball under the sheets, teeth chattering as he tries desperately to get warm again.

"Pipika?"

He pokes his head above the covers again and comes face-to-face with a concerned looking Pikachu. Clemont sucks in a breath – Pikachu's never come _this_ close to anyone but Ash before – and tries to smile reassuringly at the electric Pokémon. "I'm-m ok-kay," he says carefully, trying to keep the shivers from his voice. "J-j-just cold."

Pikachu's ears twitch and he glances towards the door, as though debating whether to go and fetch one of the other humans. "Really," Clemont insists, although he supposes looking like a shivering ball of misery isn't making his words all that believable. Pikachu stares at him for long moments, clearly unconvinced, before the Pokémon sighs.

Clemont squeaks in surprise when Pikachu crawls under the blankets with him, wriggling between arms and knees until the Pokémon is curled up against his chest. Pikachu's body is like a furnace and Clemont resists the instinctive urge to curl up around the source of heat because he really doesn't think Pikachu will appreciate it. "Are you… t-trying to w-warm me up-p?" he asks hesitantly, looking down at the ball of yellow fur.

"Pika!"

The affirmative reply is muffled against his nightgown. Clemont smiles, touched that Pikachu would be willing to curl up with him to keep warm despite his wariness of humans. "...I'm all s-sweaty though, y-you don't have t-to…" _And I know you don't like people touching you…_

Pikachu cuts him off. "Pikapi pikachu Pipika pi!"

Clemont wishes he knew what Pikachu was saying – _hrm, I wonder if I could create a Pokémon translation machine?_ he muses, filing away the idea for later – but it seems like the small form has no intentions of budging.

He rests his hand hesitantly on Pikachu's back, prepared to snatch his hand back if he doesn't seem to like it. Pikachu tenses under his touch for a moment and he's about to pull away when Pikachu visibly relaxes and presses closer into Clemont's chest instead. The Pokémon doesn't protest when Clemont curls an arm around him carefully. Pikachu is wonderfully warm. "….T-thank you." he whispers, closing his eyes again to sleep.

.

.

.

This time when Clemont wakes up, he does so gradually, awareness coming back in drips and drabs as he blinks blearily at the world around him. Every part of him still feels weak and aching, but to Clemont's immense gratitude it seems as though the shivers have passed.

There's a warm spot against his chest; Clemont looks down in surprise to see a blurry Pikachu still wrapped in his arms. Pikachu still seems to be asleep and Clemont hesitates, unsure if he should stay as he is or try to give the sleeping Pokémon more space. He must make some kind of movement though, because Pikachu stirs before he can come to a decision. Pikachu's eyes open and he yawns widely, stretching in the circle of Clemont's arms before twisting to meet Clemont's gaze.

"Uh… good morning?" he offers, unsure.

"Pipika!" the electric Pokémon chirps happily and much to Clemont's surprise, nuzzles against his chest. Pikachu seems to regret doing this almost immediately, wrinkling his nose and then wriggling out of Clemont's arms to sit on the pillow beside him. "Chu pikaaaa," Pikachu tells him, making a face.

Clemont sits up slowly – he still feels sore – and grimaces at the feeling of dried sweat on his skin. _No wonder Pikachu retreated so quickly; I must stink!_ He fumbles for his glasses. "How are you feeling?" he asks in concern, absently frowning when his fingers brush against a scrap of paper folded under the frames of his glasses. _What's this?_

"Pika!" Pikachu replies back cheerfully and Clemont smiles. With his glasses on, Clemont can see that Pikachu is sporting fresh bandages, so clearly Ash has come by at some point while he was asleep. Clemont glances at the clock. He can't hear anyone else in the apartment and it's mid-afternoon already, so Ash and Bonnie must be down in the Gym again. His suspicions are confirmed when he unfolds the scrap of paper to find a hand-written note:

 _Hey Clemont!_

 _You were still sleeping pretty deeply  
when we came by for lunch,  
so we left you some sandwiches  
in the fridge :)_

\- Ash

Clemont huffs a laugh at the smiley face at the end of the note. He folds the note in half again, suddenly realising that his appetite is back in full force: he feels _ravenous._ Even simple sandwiches sound amazing right now – he's noticed that Ash has been sticking to meals that are easy to make, though whether that's for Clemont's benefit or simply because Ash is yet to master the art of cooking, he doesn't know.

He stretches and looks down at Pikachu. "Are you hungry?" Pikachu nods eagerly. "Let's go find these sandwiches that Ash mentioned then, shall we?" Clemont suggests. "Ash and Bonnie are still probably down at the Gym, I don't want to disturb them."

Gingerly, he gets out of bed. _Maybe I can have a shower now that I'm feeling less light-headed…_ after _I find some food first, though._ Deep in his own thoughts, Clemont is about to try and get to his feet when he feels paws climbing his sleeve and a weight settling on his shoulder. He yelps in surprise.

From his place on Clemont's shoulder, Pikachu snickers and pats the side of his head. "Pipika!"

"Ah – are, um – are you okay up there?" Clemont stammers, too surprised that such a wary Pokémon would be willing to trust Clemont enough to sit on his shoulder the same way he rides on Ash's shoulder.

"Pika!"

Clearly, he's somehow managed to earn some measure of Pikachu's trust whilst he's been sick; he may not get the same level of adoration that Pikachu reserves for Ash, but Pikachu is more open and friendly with him now than he's ever been. Not to mention that when Clemont lifts a hand to scratch cautiously behind Pikachu's ears the way he's seen Ash do, he gets a whine of pleasure rather than an irate Thunderbolt. There's a warm glow of happiness and pride inside Clemont at having won the small Pokémon's regard; it gives him the energy to get to his feet and wobble out to the kitchen.

There is indeed a plate of sandwiches neatly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. Clemont carries it over to the table, where the two of them proceed to devour every last crumb on the plate. As he eats, Clemont runs a practiced eye over Pikachu's injuries while Pikachu munches on a sandwich across the table from him. What he sees pleases him: Pikachu is almost fully recovered and it's clear that Ash has been doing a good job caring for him. The strangest thing is, Clemont gets the feeling that Pikachu is giving him the same kind of health check-over. _When Ash asks him to do something, Pikachu really makes sure to do it, huh._ He wonders again just what exactly Pikachu intends to do when he's fully healed. There's still a good chance he might go back to the flower garden, although Clemont knows that Pikachu's leaving will absolutely crush his friend. Ash and Pikachu share a deep bond, even after only a few days of knowing each other. They _fit_ together like they were always meant to be that way, the same way Ash's new appearance had been less of a change and more like a realisation what should exist in the first place.

"Pipika?"

Clemont realises with a jolt that he's been staring off into space for who knows how long, sandwich teetering precariously in his hand. "Sorry, I got caught up in thinking," he laughs, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Pikachu tilts his head to the side, looking confused. "Pi?"

He shakes his head. "It's nothing." He takes a bite of his sandwich and chews thoughtfully. "Ash has gotten better with food, hasn't he?" _Even if it's only sandwiches._ Clemont smiles at the enthusiastic response from his table mate. Setting the empty plate by the sink – he mentally apologises to Ash for not cleaning it up himself – he leans against the counter for a moment, overcome by a wave of tiredness. _I'd better shower quickly and go back to bed…_

"Shall we head back?" he asks Pikachu, who looks up at him in concern. Pikachu doesn't reply, merely climbs back up his pyjamas to perch on his shoulder; Clemont takes that as a 'yes' anyway. "Alright then…"

He shuffles back towards his bedroom, one hand on the wall for balance. Even as tired as he feels, Clemont can't help noticing Pikachu staring around in fascination. "That's right, you probably haven't seen much of the rest of the apartment, have you?"

Pikachu shakes his head in response and Clemont slows down to point out the different rooms as they head back to his room. On the way, they pass Clemont's workshop and Clemont takes a moment to stop in the doorway and lean on the door frame. "This is my workshop," he explains to Pikachu, who is looking around the room with interest. "I like inventing things, and this is usually where I make them….uhhhh, and don't be worried if you hear anything explode in here! These things happen!" He laughs a little nervously before sobering. "You know that Ash is a robot, right?"

As expected, Pikachu nods, ears twitching. Clemont finds it interesting that Pokémon seem more attuned to recognising this compared to the humans Ash meets, although admittedly Clemont really only has his own Pokémon and Pikachu to base his observations off. "I made him," he tells the small Pokémon, who perks up. "Right here, in this workshop. I just wanted to create a robot that could help me out with the Gym sometimes… but in the end I got so much more than what I was expecting." A fond smile curves his mouth as Clemont thinks about all the time that Ash has spent with Bonnie and himself. Clemont honestly cannot imagine his life without Ash in it now.

"Ash wants to go on a journey to become a Pokémon Master…" A subdued laugh escapes Clemont. "If anyone could do it, it'd be Ash for sure!" His voice trails off into a sigh. "I want to support his dream but… at the same time, I really don't want him to go," Clemont confesses, looking down at his slippers. "Ash would make a great Trainer, but it'd also be really dangerous for him to go on a journey like that. There's things that humans would be fine with that would cause him trouble – he doesn't even know how to swim! I don't even know if he even _can!_ And what if people treat him weirdly because he isn't actually human? What if he gets injured again? Ash is sturdy enough but even the smallest injury could cause a huge problem… and it's not like something like that would just heal on its own!"

"Piiiika," Pikachu says, patting him on the back of the head in an effort to calm the human down. Clemont sighs again, reaching up a cautious hand, and when the Pokémon stays put, pets Pikachu's head gently. "I just don't know what to do," he tells Pikachu forlornly. "We even had a fight about it. Even though we made up and Ash said he wanted to stay as a Gym Leader for now, I can't help but think he only decided that because of me. Is it really alright for me to tell Ash not to go just because of my own selfish worries?"

Pikachu's ears lay back, a troubled look on his face. "Pikachuuuuuuu," he answers, sounding apologetic.

Clemont mentally shakes himself out of the melancholy he's fallen into. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't dump all this on you," he apologises, looking sideways at the Pokémon on his shoulder. "I can't expect you to have any answers when I don't." He scratches Pikachu under the chin like he's seen Ash do before. "No matter what happens, we'll all just have to look out for him, right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nods firmly in agreement, making Clemont's small smile grow wider.

"Thank you," he tells Pikachu. _You want to protect Ash just as much as I do and you make him happy. Thank you._ He doesn't elaborate on any of his thoughts when Pikachu looks at him in inquiry, merely pushes himself away from the doorframe and turns his back on his workshop. While his fingers are starting to itch from the urge to pick up tools and work, what he really needs right now is a shower and then more sleep. _Maybe tomorrow,_ Clemont thinks as he shuffles down the hall, and then amends wryly, _if Ash and Bonnie let me out of bed_ , _that is._

/\/\/\

Unsurprisingly, Ash and Bonnie don't let him out of bed the next day, although they are glad that his fever seems to be going down. Bonnie _does_ , however, thankfully take mercy on him and brings Clemont a book to read and a pad of paper and pencils to keep him occupied. She brings one for herself as well and promptly sprawls across his floor to start drawing. Apparently, she's going to keep him company today rather than watch Ash's Gym matches. As much as Clemont would like to see something other than the four walls of his bedroom for a change, this arrangement is for the best – his mind might be much more alert now, but his body is still weak with fatigue as it recovers. Designing things on paper is all he's probably capable of doing at the moment.

With this in mind, Clemont flips open the sketchbook and starts to idly draw some of the ideas that have been floating around in the back of his mind over the past few days. _If I could make some thing like_ this _… then there'd need to be this part here… oh, it'd need something like this to let it move properly… and then it could…_

He becomes so absorbed in his plans that he almost doesn't notice when Pikachu creeps over to peer at his work, except to absently scratch him on the head. Clemont does, however, start paying proper attention when he notes the flash of yellow in the corner of his eye disappearing every now and then. The next time he loses sight of Pikachu, Clemont pauses mid-drawing to check what is going on and realises that Pikachu has been ducking down behind Clemont's blanket-covered knee. Clemont is confused at first, before he follows Pikachu's eye line and finds Bonnie staring over at the two of them. _Well,_ he realises, _at Pikachu, anyway._ When she catches him looking, Bonnie blushes slightly and looks away quickly, going back to colouring in her picture. Pikachu cautiously peeks over Clemont's sketchpad again. Upon finding the coast clear, Pikachu straightens up to stare at Bonnie in turn, ears twitching every now and then. Pikaachu doesn't seem to be in any kind of distress, so Clemont mentally shrugs and goes back to sketching out his ideas.

An hour later, though, he's finding it hard to concentrate on his designs in favour of trying to suppress a smile at their antics. The two of them are engaged in an ongoing cycle of sneaking glances at each other and pretending they aren't every time the other looks over. Clemont finds it actually rather endearing to watch. It's not until a stray chuckle escapes him that both of them realise that he's been watching them and get embarrassed.

"Clemont!" Bonnie complains as he gives up on trying to hide his grin.

"I'm sorry," he replies, laying his pencil down, "but what in the world are you two doing?" Clemont glances down at Pikachu as he speaks, but the electric Pokémon just looks up at him sheepishly.

"We're not doing anything!" Bonnie protests, but her gaze drifts over to where Clemont is scratching Pikachu's head. Her cheeks puff out in a pout. "No fair, Clemont! Keeping Pikachu all to yourself!"

"Huh?" Clemont asks, hand freezing as he blinks at her in surprise. Bonnie ignores him, crossing her arms.

"I wanna be Pikachu's friend too!" she declares stubbornly.

Clemont lets out a silent sigh of relief. _So that's what's bothering her._ He glances down at Pikachu, considering. Pikachu _is_ more comfortable around him now and much friendlier and openly affectionate because of it, so it's only natural that Bonnie wants to be able to interact with Pikachu the same way Ash and her big brother do. Unfortunately, that part is all up to Pikachu, but Clemont has an inkling Pikachu might be more open to the idea than he was before. Even though Pikachu is still putting Clemont in between them, he's clearly curious about Bonnie rather than just hiding away like before.

"Why don't you see if Pikachu wants to play with you?" he suggests to Bonnie, keeping an eye on Pikachu's reaction. Pikachu's ears prick up, but he doesn't react negatively to his suggestion and Clemont takes that as a good sign. _Still…_ "Just be gentle, alright?" he cautions.

Bonnie is up on her feet in a flash and over by Clemont's bedside almost before the words finish leaving his mouth. She crouches down to Pikachu's eye level as Clemont moves his sketchpad out of the way. "Um, Pikachu, can I please brush your fur?" she asks with a bright smile. "I promise I'll make it all nice and shiny!"

"Piiiika…" Pikachu replies hesitantly. He glances up at Clemont, who gives an encouraging smile.

"Go on, it's okay," he tells Pikachu. "Bonnie will take very good care of you. She's good at looking after Pokémon, you saw the other day."

That seems to decide Pikachu. "Pika pika!" he says happily, bounding over Clemont's legs. The grin on Bonnie's face is practically blinding as she plonks herself down on the floor, brush at the ready as Pikachu jumps into her lap. Clemont smiles at the two of them, pleased that they've managed to become friends as well. He returns to his sketches, keeping one eye on the duo on the floor.

They stay like that for a while – Clemont sketching and Bonnie and Pikachu playing – until Pikachu perks up and launches himself at the door with an excited "Pikapi!"

Clemont looks up – Pikachu has a sixth sense when it comes to Ash, although Clemont is aware that it's only because Pikachu has a better sense of hearing than humans do – just as Ash comes into the room bearing a tray of sandwiches. Pikachu has already perched himself on Ash's shoulder, munching on a sandwich that the robot gave him. "Welcome back, Ash," he says with a smile.

"I brought lunch," Ash says unnecessarily as he puts the tray down on the bedside table within Clemont's reach. "It's just sandwiches again tho– oh hey, you're inventing again! Cool! Can I see?"

Clemont laughs at the eager look on Ash's face. "Of course you can, I'd love to show you!" He flips back a few pages. "See, this is a design for something I was thinking about the other day…"

Ash leans forward in fascination as Clemont continues to explain his idea, Pikachu jumping off his shoulder onto the bed. It's not until Clemont turns a page and happens to glance down at Ash's hands, spread out on the bed to support him, that he notices something amiss. One of the fingers is laying at an odd angle. Clemont frowns. "Ash, is your hand okay?"

"Huh?" Ash asks blankly, before looking down at his hands. "Oh yeah, that. I hit it by accident before and I can't get it to go back… it doesn't hurt though!" he adds hastily at Clemont's unhappy face. "I'm fine, really!"

" _Pikapi_ ," Pikachu replies disapprovingly before Clemont can say anything. Clemont gives Ash a pointed look.

"See, even Pikachu agrees with me. Let me see, please." Clemont puts down his sketchbook and holds his hand out expectantly; despite his protests, Ash still obligingly lets Clemont take a closer look at his damaged hand.

"Hrm," Clemont says after a moment, adjusting his glasses. He doesn't let go of Ash's hand; Clemont has a shrewd idea that if he does, he'll lose his chance to fix it when Ash suddenly decides that Clemont shouldn't be doing anything while he's still sick. "Bonnie, could you get my toolkit please? This should be simple to fix, I can do it now."

"Sure thing, Clemont!" Bonnie chirps, darting out the door.

"Ah, wait –" Ash starts, but realises that he's speaking to empty space and sighs. "Sorry, Clemont. I didn't want to bother you with it while you were sick…"

"It's never a bother, Ash," Clemont says sincerely. "Besides, I'm feeling much better today!"

"Oh really?" Ash asks, brightening. "That's great!" He reaches out his free hand in a now familiar gesture, pressing it to Clemont's forehead. "It looks like your temperature has gone down too, thank goodness!"

"It's thanks to you and Bonnie and Pikachu taking such good care of me," Clemont tells him with a smile, scratching Pikachu behind the ears and drawing a pleased ' _chaaaaa'_ from the happy Pokémon. Ash looks surprised for a few seconds, clearly not expecting Pikachu's mistrust to have mellowed. Then he beams, looking thrilled.

"Pikachu's really taken a liking to you! That's awesome! See, I told you that Clemont and Bonnie were great!" This last comment is directed at Pikachu, who nods with a happy agreement.

"I found it!" Bonnie announces as she reappears, lugging one of his smaller toolkits. "Here you go!"

"Thanks, Bonnie," Clemont says as he takes the box from her, rummaging through it until he finds the one particular screwdriver that he needs. He sets the toolkit aside on the bed and sets to work on fixing the misaligned joint of Ash's finger. As he had told Ash earlier, it's a fairly minor fix. It's therefore rather easy to split his concentration between the task at hand and the conversation going on between Ash and Pikachu:

"…should be fully healed really soon," Ash is telling Pikachu. "So if Clemont says it's okay, we can probably take those bandages off tonight and leave them off."

"Pika!" Pikachu waves his arms happily. "Pika pikapi pikachu!"

Ash looks apologetic. "Sorry, Pikachu, I still don't think it's a good idea for you to come with me to the Gym though…"

"Chuuu…" Pikachu's ears droop.

 _Does he actually understand what Pikachu is saying, or is he just guessing?_ Clemont wonders absently, not for the last time. Still, he can't see any reason why Pikachu can't go and watch Ash – as Ash had said, Pikachu is almost fully healed. It'd mean that Clemont would be stuck here without any company, but then again…

He leans over to Pikachu. "It's alright," he whispers. "We'll both sneak down to the Gym tomorrow and watch, okay?" If Clemont is being honest, he's well enough now that staying in bed will be rather boring. Besides, Clemont misses watching Ash battle.

"I heard that!" Ash grumbles. "As much as I'd love you guys to be there, you should both be resting until you're completely better."

Clemont knows that Ash is just really worried. This is his first time dealing with Clemont or Bonnie being sick, after all. "We've both been resting a lot. Honestly, a change of scenery would probably help more," he points out, meeting Ash's eyes. The worry he sees there makes him add, "I promise I won't overexert myself."

Ash _hrms_ , eyebrows furrowed in concern. "You'll go back to bed if you get too tired?"

"I promise," Clemont says seriously. He knows his own limits and he doesn't want to worry Ash in the middle of an important match by collapsing from exhaustion. Falling asleep on the benches in his Gym would just be uncomfortable, anyway.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu echoes, waving a paw. Ash looks between the two of them and then over at Bonnie, asking her opinion silently.

"It's okay, I'll keep an eye on them!" Bonnie says brightly. "Pikachu can sit with me!"

Ash sighs, his shoulders slumping, but at least some of the worry has disappeared from his expression. "Alright then." The happy cheering at from the other three occupants of the room brings a smile back to his face, his earlier worries soon forgotten.

If they'd known what troubles were going to come their way the next day, maybe Ash wouldn't have given in so easily.

* * *

 _Because_ that _isn't ominous at all..._

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	12. Chapter 12

_We're moving into the final arc!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12**_

The next day, Clemont follows Bonnie down the stairs carefully with a thermos in one hand and a blanket in the other. He's walking slower than usual; he might be feeling much better this morning, but he still isn't feeling a hundred percent. By the time Clemont had woken up this morning, Ash had already disappeared downstairs to the Gym to start accepting challenges. Bonnie had stayed behind, hovering with restless energy as her brother ate breakfast and made himself look acceptable, refusing his suggestion to go on ahead without him. Now Bonnie trots down the stairs ahead of him, her arms full of Pikachu; she stops every so often to wait for him to catch up.

"Come on, Clemont, I think this match has already started!" she urges, bouncing in place. Now that she mentions it, Clemont can faintly hear the sounds of a Pokémon battle up ahead. His steps hasten slightly of their own accord, no matter how much he tells himself that there are more than likely many more matches to watch after this one.

By the time Clemont and Bonnie make their way into the audience stands, Ash is already midway through a Gym match with a pink-haired Trainer. The siblings take a seat in the front of the stands, near where the referee would stand if the Lumiose Gym _had_ a dedicated judge. As Bonnie sets Pikachu down on the wall dividing the stands and battlefield, Clemont runs a practised eye over the battle currently in motion. Ash is using Magnemite; his opponent is using a Foongus. _It looks like Magnemite might have taken a few hits before we arrived_ , Clemont notes worriedly, looking at the slightly erratic way Magnemite is floating through the air. He glances over at Ash and the worry fades somewhat when he spots the small grin on Ash's face – it seems that Ash has a plan. _Or an inkling of a plan, at least,_ Clemont thinks, watching a Thunderbolt detonate amongst a cloud of Spore. Smoke fills the field and both he and Bonnie quickly cover their faces, not wanting to accidentally breathe in the Spore cloud.

The smoke clears away from the field, revealing Foongus asleep on the ground. Magnemite is clearly affected by the Spore as well as it hovers dangerously close to the ground, but to both the siblings' relief, Magnemite manages to shake itself awake and floats back up to a better height.

When it is clear that Foongus isn't going to be waking up any time soon, Ash calls the round in Magnemite's favour. The cheer that Bonnie and Clemont let out at Ash and Magnemite's victory catches the robot's attention; when Ash spots them sitting in the stands, a wide grin breaks out across his face and he waves cheerfully to them, saying something quietly to Magnemite.

The sleeping Foongus is returned to its Pokéball and replaced by a Meowstic. Although he doesn't show it, Clemont can tell that Ash is worried about the damage Magnemite has already taken. Gym rules state that only the challenger can substitute Pokémon between rounds though, so Ash has no choice but to stick through the next round with Magnemite.

The next round commences; both Ash and Magnemite put up a good fight, but Magnemite is already exhausted and doesn't last very long. Ash recalls Magnemite to its Pokéball with thanks for its hard work before bringing out Heliolisk as his next Pokémon.

As Heliolisk and Meowstic exchange blows, Clemont can't help but watch Ash instead of the battle. Ash has come a long way from the first battle he and Clemont had fought; the confidence and ease in which Ash commands Heliolisk is truly inspiring. _Pokémon battles really are his element_ , Clemont thinks, watching Ash cheer and congratulate Heliolisk on doing a good job. Ash has a naturally lively personality and is enthusiastic about everything and anything, but he seems so _alive_ when he's on the battlefield, calling commands to his Pokémon. _Not only that, but his battling style is something I never could have programmed,_ Clemont thinks ruefully. _He pulls incredible results out of nowhere – with techniques I never would have ever dreamed would work – even when the battle isn't going his way._

"Heliolisk, can you still battle?" Ash calls, as the lizard Pokémon gets to his feet slowly.

"Zaaaa!" Heliolisk replies confidently, settling into a battle-ready stance once again. Ash grins.

"That's the spirit! Parabolic Charge!"

Clemont smiles at their enthusiasm. _He cares a lot about all of his Pokémon's welfare, both in battle and out of it too,_ he muses. _And it shows – the Pokémon themselves try their absolute best because they don't want to let him down. Even Pikachu does it, and he's only been with Ash for a few days now._ Ahead of him, said electric Pokémon and Bonnie fiercely cheer Heliolisk on as it dodges the opposing Wigglytuff's Doubleslap. _Ash would definitely make a great Pokémon Trainer, but I think if anyone could become a Pokémon Master, it would be him._

He sighs quietly to himself. _Ash deserves the chance to go follow his dream. I want him to have that chance; I honestly don't think anyone is going to care that he's a robot rather than a human._ After all, there was nothing in the rules that had said that a robot couldn't run a Gym – Clemont had checked a long time ago, back before he'd even started designing what would become Ash – and if a robot could be a Gym Leader, who could say that one couldn't compete in the League as well?

But the one thing that Clemont keeps coming back to is that it will be very dangerous. Of course, travelling around Kalos to collect Gym badges is dangerous for regular humans too, and Ash has an advantage in not needing to eat or sleep. But the robot _does_ need to recharge every now and then; not to mention that if he gets damaged – and he _will_ get damaged, because how often does Ash manage to injure himself just by staying here in the Gym? – there's no way Ash would be able to fix himself. He wouldn't even be able to go to a doctor or a PokéCenter for medical aid like regular humans can and even on the remote chance that there's a mechanic around… well, Clemont doesn't want to brag too much about his own work, but Ash's code and mechanics are incredibly intricate and there is no way that _anyone_ could understand the whole of it without either studying the blueprints intensely or – Clemont shivers, his stomach sick at the thought – taking Ash completely apart. _No,_ Clemont decides fiercely, _the only person I trust to fix Ash properly is_ me.

Clemont is no longer watching the match at this point, staring glumly at the floor instead. _I want Ash to be able to become a proper Pokémon Trainer but… there's really no way I can see that he could… unless…_ He blinks as an idea comes to him.

 _What if I travelled with him as well?_

It makes sense. Even if Ash does manage to get hurt, Clemont can fix him if he travels along with Ash, but…

 _Bonnie. I can't leave her behind. And there's the Gym as well. I can't shirk my responsibilities as a big brother_ or _a Gym Leader just to go travelling around the country and I'm sure that Ash would tell me the same thing as well._ He sighs again, resting his head on his hands. He's back at square one, it seems.

/\/\/\

"Hooray! Ash did it, he won!" Bonnie cheers, high-fiving an equally happy Pikachu next to her. "Wasn't that great, Pikachu? Ash battles just as well as my brother! Right, Clemont?" She looks over her shoulder, only to find her brother staring off into space with a sad look on his face. He doesn't even seem to be aware that Ash just won the match, let alone that she's talking to him. Bonnie exchanges a worried look with Pikachu before making her way over to her brother's side.

"Clemont? Are you okay?" she asks in concern, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention. She feels him twitch in surprise under her hand before he manages to shake himself out of whatever thoughts are making him sad.

"Bonnie?" he says with some confusion, blinking owlishly at her. "Wha – oh, is the match over already?" He sounds surprised as he looks towards the battlefield, where Ash is shaking the female Trainer's hand.

"Yeah, Ash won while you were spacing out!" Bonnie tells him. She knows Clemont worries about a lot of things, but she's never seen him look so sad about something the way he had looked earlier and she desperately wants to cheer him up somehow. Bonnie is pleased when she sees her brother's face brighten at the news, a genuinely happy smile appearing on his face.

"That's great!" Clemont replies and then laughs sheepishly. "I did kind of space out for a minute there, didn't I? I promise I'll pay attention to the next match."

"Good!" Bonnie hesitates. "Are you sure you're okay, Clemont? Do you need anything? Are you feeling sick again?" She reaches out the way that she's seen Ash do, resting her hand against his forehead. His skin feels warm against her hand, but she doesn't know if that means he still has a fever or not. Ash had checked Clemont's temperature this morning while her brother slept and said that he was doing much better today, but what if he's suddenly feeling ill again?

Clemont's smile softens. "I'm alright, Bonnie. I just got caught up in thinking about something, that's all." He must see that she still feels unconvinced because he lets out a rueful sigh and brings her hand down, curling his fingers around hers. "I promise I'm alright," he tells her. "You and Pikachu are doing a good job of looking after me."

"Okay, but remember your promise!" she tells him sternly. "No overworking yourself!"

He laughs. "Don't worry, I remember." Something over her shoulder catches his attention and suddenly that bright sparkle is back in her brother's eyes again. "Ah, it looks like the next challenger is coming in… do you want some hot chocolate to drink while you watch?" Clemont holds up the thermos and is unable to hide his smile at her enthusiastic "Yes please!" and the "Pika!" echoed from behind her.

"Careful, both of you, it's hot," he cautions as he hands her a mug. "Blow on it first, okay?"

She carries it carefully back over to where Pikachu is and the two of them take turns to blow on it for a little while until Bonnie decides it's probably safe to test. She _mmms_ in delight – her brother makes the _best_ hot chocolate – and hands the mug to Pikachu. "Here, your turn! But be careful!"

Clemont joins them at the wall with his own mug of hot chocolate. The two of them watch as Pikachu drinks from the mug; his eyes are sparkling when he gives the mug back to Bonnie. "Pipika! Pika pika pikachu!" Pikachu enthuses, waving his arms excitedly.

"I think Pikachu likes your hot chocolate, Clemont," Bonnie giggles.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it," Clemont tells Pikachu with a smile. "There's some more for later, if you want."

"Pika!"

The three of them laugh and turn their attention to the battlefield, only to find Ash watching them all with a fond smile on his face. Bonnie waves at him enthusiastically; beside her, a pink-cheeked Clemont also raises a hand and waves at Ash. Ash's grin widens and he looks like he's about to call out to them, but the doors to the Gym swing open and all of his attention switches to the Trainer walking into the Gym. Clemont, Bonnie and Pikachu settle in to watch the next match with avid interest as Ash calls,

"Welcome to the Lumiose Gym!"

/\/\/\

When the next match is over, Clemont realises that his body is starting to feel weak and that he needs to sit down before his legs give out. _Maybe I should have stayed in bed another day_ , he thinks light-headedly, wobbling slightly as he makes his way back to the bench and drops down onto it with a graceless _thump_.

"Pipika?" a concerned voice asks. Clemont looks down just as Pikachu clambers up onto his lap. Pikachu peers up at him worriedly, ears slanted back. Now that he's sitting down again, the light-headedness is fading fast and he smiles at Pikachu, scratching it between the ears.

"It's alright, I just stood up for too long," he reassures the worried Pokémon, aware that Bonnie is listening as well. "I'll be fine if I sit here for a short while."

"Pikaaaa…" Pikachu sounds doubtful. Pikachu's ears twitch before he leaps off Clemont's lap and darts away. Before Clemont even has time to sigh, Pikachu is back, attempting to drag over the blanket that Clemont had brought down with the thermos. "Pipikachu!" the electric Pokémon implores, mumbling around a mouthful of cloth.

"Ah, that's a good idea, Pikachu!" Bonnie says, hurrying over. Pikachu is obviously relieved when she bundles the blanket up in her arms and brings it back to Clemont, shaking it out and draping it over his shoulders, much to his bemusement. "There! Now you won't get cold while you rest!" Bonnie declares, proud of Pikachu's and her own caretaking efforts.

"Thank you, Bonnie, Pikachu," Clemont says with a smile, touched by the gesture even though he's not actually cold right now. "This is very good."

"You're welcome!" Bonnie says happily. "Ah! The next challenger!" She darts back to the wall eagerly, followed closely by Pikachu. _I think those two are almost as excited as Ash is,_ Clemont chuckles silently as he resettles the blanket over his shoulders more securely. It's not a hassle to keep it on, even if he doesn't need it right now. At least it will help stop those two worrying about him.

.

.

.

However, after a few more Gym matches (some of which Ash wins, some he loses, but Clemont finds all of them exciting to watch) Clemont has to admit that he's actually grateful for the blanket. The feeling of weakness has passed, but now he's aware just how _cold_ it actually is down here in the Gym. Rationally, he knows it's just the remnants of his fever – the Gym is kept at an optimal temperature and it's never bothered him before now, not to mention that he's wearing the tracksuit he'd lent Ash all those weeks ago which is much thicker than his usual jumpsuit – but Clemont still vows to check over the air conditioning system later and make sure that it's working properly.

Pikachu joins him after a while, curling up in his lap to take a nap. _After all, Pikachu is still on the tail end of recovering from his injuries as well_ , Clemont realises as he rubs the electric Pokémon's head idly, still internally marvelling that Pikachu trusts him enough to do this.

Finally, Ash sees the last challenger for the morning out of the Gym – this one successfully clutching a Voltage Badge in their hand – and bounds over towards the three of them the second the doors are shut.

"Clemont! Bonnie!" he greets them excitedly, standing on tip-toe to rest his head and arms on the arena wall. "Did you see that last match?! I mean, we lost in the end but everyone did a great job and it was _awesome!_ "

"It was an amazing match," Clemont agrees from his seat on the bench. He wants to get up but he's loathe to move while Pikachu is still asleep on his lap. Luckily, Pikachu solves this dilemma for him by waking up, ears twitching for a moment before he realises that Ash is finished with his Gym matches for now. With a happy "Pikapi!" Pikachu bounds off Clemont's lap and up onto the wall next to Ash.

Ash laughs at the enthusiastic greeting, reaching out to ruffle Pikachu's ears. "Hey there, Pikachu! How are you feeling today?"

"Pika!" Pikachu strikes a pose. Ash beams.

"Great! I'm glad you're feeling better! So, what did you think of my Gym matches, huh? Did you have fun watching?"

"Pika piika! Pikapi pikachu pi!"

"Hahaha thanks, Pikachu."

Pikachu climbs onto Ash's shoulder as Clemont makes his way over, blanket still wrapped around his shoulders and so Clemont ends up with two pairs of eyes blinking up at him. "Clemont!" Ash says brightly. His smile fades when he notices the blanket around Clemont's shoulders. "How are you? Are you okay? Do you need to rest?"

"No, no, I'm alright," he reassures Ash. He can feel the twin stares of Bonnie and Pikachu boring into the side of his skull and amends, "I'm just a bit cold right now, but otherwise I'm fine." Clemont doesn't mention the weak feeling from before – it's gone away now and besides, mentioning it now won't really do anything other than make Ash worry and the robot already has enough on his plate dealing with the Gym in Clemont's stead.

Even so, Ash looks troubled. "Cold, huh…?" the robot mutters to himself. Suddenly he brightens, his troubled look turning determined as he holds out a hand. "I know! Gimme your hand, Clemont!"

"What?" is Clemont's blank reply. Ash just twitches his fingers – _give me your hand already!_ – but gives no explanation. With a mental shrug, a bemused Clemont gives in and places a hand in Ash's. He's not sure what he was expecting, but Ash grasping his hand with both of his and holding on tightly sure wasn't it.

"U- Um…?" Clemont asks, bewildered. "Ash, what are you doing?"

"Warming your hands up, of course!" Ash replies matter-of-factly, shooting him a blinding grin. "My hands are warm enough for the two of us!"

Clemont feels his face flush pink, heat radiating off his cheeks. "Oh – ah – um – " he stammers, caught off-guard by the gesture and unable to think of a single reply. Ash's hands _are_ warm though; he can feel the heat filtering through the numbness in his fingers that he hasn't noticed until now.

"Ah, me too, me too! My hands are warm too!" Bonnie cries; she seizes his other hand and holds it tightly between her own. When he looks toward her in surprise, he sees that her eyes are shut in deep concentration, as though she can warm his hands through sheer willpower alone. Even Pikachu crawls down Ash's outstretched arm and adds his own paw atop Ash's where the robot's fingers curl around Clemont's. Pikachu's gesture is ultimately useless in terms of warming Clemont's hands up, but it definitely warms his heart. He glances around at all of them, incredibly moved but trying desperately to hold back the tears that tingle at the corners of his eyes.

"Everyone…" he says, sniffling a little. "Thank you…"

All of them stay like that for a minute, with Clemont's family holding onto his hands tightly in an effort to warm them. Whether it's through their efforts or whether he's just imagining it, Clemont really does feel a lot warmer by the time Ash looks up at him with a smile and asks, "Better?"

Clemont sniffles again. "Y-yes…"

Ash's eyes widen in startled panic. He lets go of Clemont's hand quickly and a small part of Clemont can't help but mourn the loss of it. "Ack, you're crying! I'm sorry? Please don't cry, Clemont!"

Clemont lets out a watery chuckle. "No, no, no, I'm not sad, I just…" He uses his newly-freed hand to wipe away any stray tears on his sleeve and smiles tremulously at the robot. "Thanks, Ash."

Ash blinks in confusion for a moment before understanding dawns across his face and he grins in reply. "No worries!" he tells Clemont cheerfully. "Make sure you don't get too cold again, alright?"

Clemont is opening his mouth to reply when a loud booming echoes across the room. All of them jump in surprise; Pikachu settles immediately into a wary, battle-ready pose as the three humans look around for the source of the noise. The booming sound sweeps the room again, and Clemont belatedly realises that it's the sound of someone knocking on the doors to the Gym. Ash seems to have come to the same conclusion, because he calls out, "Who is it?"

There's a chorus of voices from outside, muffled by the thick doors. "We request a Gym match with the Gym Leader of Lumiose Gym!"

Clemont and Ash exchange a surprised look. "That's weird," Ash frowns. "I thought I'd gotten through all the morning challenges; the next one isn't supposed to be 'til after lunch." He looks up at Clemont questioningly. "Ah well, I suppose it can't hurt to take on one more challenger…?"

Clemont shrugs in reply. "It's up to you, Ash. You're the one acting as Gym Leader right now."

Ash _hrms_. "Oh well, in that case, I guess…" He turns back to the doors and cups his hands around his mouth. "I accept! Come in and we'll have a Gym battle!" Ash turns back to Clemont and Bonnie with an apologetic look on his face. "I know it's right on lunchtime, so if you guys wanna go eat instead of watching, I won't mind."

"Of course not!" Bonnie says stubbornly. "We'll cheer you on, like always!"

Her response brings a smile to Ash's face. "Thanks, Bonnie!" As the doors swing open to admit the new challengers, Ash turns to go and greet them but takes only a single step before he swings back around. "Ah, Clemont, I almost forgot…" Ash unclips two Pokéballs from his belt and hands them to Clemont. "Magnemite and Bunnelby are pretty tired after all the battling they did this morning, so I'll make do with Heliolisk and Magneton for this battle. Could you make sure they get some rest before the afternoon challengers show up, please?"

"Of course!" Clemont says, accepting his Pokéballs back. "But will you be okay with only two Pokémon to battle with?"

"Yeah, it'll just have to be a two-on-two match," Ash replies with a rueful shrug as they hear the Gym doors slide open. "That's okay, right? I don't really want to make those two battle anymore until they've had a chance to rest…"

Clemont is about to tell him that the challenge set by any Gym is completely at the discretion of the Gym Leader; a Trainer only has to complete the set challenge to be awarded a badge (and really, even if the Trainer loses, it can still be up to the discretion of the Gym Leader on whether to award the badge or not) but he's interrupted by an exclamation from Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" the electric Pokémon proclaims, sitting up and waving his arms at Ash. "Pika pika!"

Ash lets out a rueful laugh. "Sorry, Pikachu, I can't use you in a Gym battle! For one thing, you're still recovering from the fight a few days ago –"

Pikachu's ears droop. "Chuuuu…"

"– and plus you're not officially my Pokémon so I can't," Ash continues gently. "Sorry, buddy." He pats Pikachu's head in a silent apology as the Pokémon grumbles quietly. "Maybe Clemont and I can have a battle tomorrow, if the two of you are up for it." He flashes Clemont a quick grin. Pikachu brightens, seemingly pleased at this alternative plan.

"Hey, are we gonna have a Gym Battle or not?" calls an impatient voice. Pikachu's ears twitch.

Ash glances over his shoulder towards the trio that have just entered. "Yeah, just gimme a sec!" he calls back, pulling a face at the two siblings when he turns back around that makes Bonnie giggle and Clemont snort. "Alright, that's my cue!" he says cheerfully and with a parting wave, jogs back to the Gym Leader's side of the field. A chorus of voices echo after him:

"Good luck, Ash!"

"Please do your best!"

"Pikaaaachuuu!"

The chorus of well-wishes brings a small grin to Ash's face as he scoots to a stop and faces the three newcomers on the other side of the battlefield. There's a woman and two men, one in a long trench coat, standing there. Ash wonders if all three of them are expecting a battle. If that's the case, two of them are going to have to wait. _Ash_ might be ready to have three battles in a row, but even Heliolisk and Magneton need a break after this morning's bouts. Not to mention that it's lunchtime and that means Clemont and Bonnie need to eat. Gym battles are important to him, but his family is more important.

"Welcome to the Lumiose Gym!" he says proudly, spreading his arms out.

There's a double-take from all three, followed closely by a very surprised, very _loud_ exclamation. "The twer – _YOU'RE_ the Gym Leader?!"

Ash blinks, rather nonplussed. The robot glances down at himself – _yep, everything's still the same as this morning_ – and back up again. He's never gotten a reaction like _this_ before, even when he actually looked more like a robot. "Uhh yeah, that's me! Clemont – he's the other Gym Leader – he's sick today, so I'm filling in for him."

He watches as the odd-looking one leans over to whisper in the ears of the other two and glances over at Clemont with a bewildered look on his face. From the stands, Clemont returns his look with equal confusion and shrugs apologetically. _I don't know either, sorry._

"Um…" Ash speaks up as the three continue to whisper furiously amongst themselves. "Excuse me, but did one of you want a Gym battle or not?"

 _That_ gets the trio's full attention. "Why yes, of course!" the red-haired woman says hastily, stepping forward. "I, the beautiful Jessilina, will be your opponent!" she continues, striking a pose before gesturing dismissively at her two companions. "These two are just my cheer squad." The two behind her grin nervously and give a quick wave before they start inching sideways towards the stands on the opposite side to where Clemont and Bonnie are sitting.

"Ah, it's good to have friends to cheer you on!" Ash says in appreciation, glancing towards his own friends sitting in the stands. "Alright! Let's have a Gym battle! Each of us can use two Pokémon; only the challenger is allowed to substitute –"

"How about we have a double battle then?" Jessilina interrupts, her smirk a challenge.

"A… double battle?" Ash repeats. _Clemont and I have had double battles before… they're harder than single battles, but they're twice the fun!_ "Sure, why not?" he agrees easily. "The one who defeats both of their opponent's Pokémon is the winner, sound fair?"

"It'll be more than fair!" the red-haired Trainer retorts, smirk still in place. She tosses two Pokéballs high in the air. "Go, Pumpkaboo and Wobbuffet!"

 _Pumpkaboo and Wobbuffet, huh…_ Ash thinks, eyeing the other Trainer's Pokémon. _Gotta remember that Pumpkaboo's part Ghost-type, so physical attacks won't work. I don't want what happened to Pikachu the other day to happen again!_ "Alright! In that case, I choose you, Magneton! Heliolisk!"

His Pokémon appear from their Pokéballs in a burst of light, looking ready to battle. "Alright! Let's win this, you guys!" Ash tells them, fist clenched in determination; Magneton and Heliolisk chorus an agreement with equal fervour.

Up in the stands, Clemont _hrms_ as he studies the Pokémon on the opponent's side of the field. Bonnie pauses in her cheering to glance up at him. "What's wrong, Clemont?" she asks in concern. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Hm? Oh no, I'm fine," he reassures her. "I just hope Ash will be, though."

"Huh? Why?" Bonnie demands. "He's battling really well today!"

"He is," Clemont agrees. "But Magneton and Heliolisk are already tired from all the Gym battles this morning. Not to mention that his opponent has picked a strange combination to battle with – usually, Trainers pick combinations where each Pokémon covers the type disadvantage of its partner, or have moves that complement each other. Wobbuffet and Pumpkaboo… well, it's an interesting combo. Ash needs to watch out for Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat as well – it's a move that reflects back special attacks," he explains, seeing Bonnie's blank face. "Counter reflects physical attacks, so if a Trainer plays his or her cards right, Wobbuffet can be a Pokémon that's very hard to defeat all on its own." _Plus_ , he adds to himself, _I'm worried because one of the Pokémon that those thieves had was a Pumpkaboo; I don't want Ash to be troubled by memories while he's trying to battle this one._

"Oh, I see…" Bonnie bites her lip, brows drawn in a frown of deep thought before she turns back to the battlefield and redoubles her cheering efforts as though she can win the match for Ash just by cheering loud enough. "Go Ash! Do your best, Magneton! Heliolisk!"

Despite Clemont's concerns, Ash doesn't look at all worried as he announces the start of the battle and immediately makes his opening move. "Magneton, Thunder Shock!"

Magneton rises up, gathering electrical energy to strike. However, just as it is about to discharge its attack, Jessilina calls, "Wobbuffet! Mirror Coat!"

The air around Wobbuffet shimmers with a rainbow aura and Ash's eyes widen as Wobbuffet jumps right into the path of the oncoming Thunder Shock at the last possible second. The robot watches in shock and dismay as Magneton's attack hits the rainbow aura and _reflects_ back towards the magnet Pokémon.

"Magneton, watch out!" Ash calls frantically, but both Pokémon and Trainer are too surprised at the attack rebounding to react quickly enough. The Thunder Shock strikes Magneton dead on. "Magneton!"

At the other end of the field, the red-haired Trainer celebrates landing a hit as her two companions cheer from the stands. "Go, Jessie…lina! Jessilina!"

Magneton recovers from the hit, floating back up with a reassuring buzz. Ash sighs in relief and turns his attention to his opponent's Pokémon, Wobbuffet in particular. _Luckily electric attacks aren't very effective against an electric Pokémon like Magneton_. _Still, what in the world was that attack?! It reflected Magneton's attack! And it looked stronger than Magneton's original Thunder Shock as well… Will it do that for every attack? This could be tricky…_

Ash's programming includes an extensive encyclopaedia of both Pokémon – a personal Pokédex – and all of their possible moves. Although it would be easy to simply look up Mirror Coat and find out how to counter it, Ash can't help thinking lately that having all this knowledge is kind of cheating since he didn't 'learn' it himself in the first place. Experiencing all these moves firsthand – and coming up with his own ways to counter them – is surely a good step on the road to becoming a Pokémon Master.

"Pumpkaboo! Shadow ball!" his opponent calls, snapping Ash out of his thoughts. A Pokémon battle isn't the time to be letting his attention wander!

 _Maybe speed is the key… and speed calls for –!_ "Dodge it, Heliolisk, and use Mud Shot on Pumpkaboo!" Ash calls. The lizard Pokémon zips out of the way of the dark energy ball with ease and leaps into the air, slinging pellets of mud towards Pumpkaboo.

"Wobbuffet, you know what to do!" Jessilina orders.

 _Oh no, Heliolisk can't dodge in mid-air!_ Ash realises as Wobbuffet glows again and takes the hit, reflecting Heliolisk's attack back at the lizard Pokémon. The reflected attack hits Heliolisk, sending him crashing to the ground. "Heliolisk! Are you alright?"

"Zaaa!"

"Oh no you don't! Pumpkaboo, Shadow Ball!" A ball of dark energy slams into the ground at Heliolisk's feet and sends the lizard Pokémon flying again with a pained cry.

"Heliolisk!" Ash cries, worried. The lizard Pokémon struggles to its feet and takes up a battle stance again, calling out to Ash that he's okay. "That's the spirit!" he cheers. "Don't give up until the very end!"

Looking on from her spot in the stands, Bonnie bites her lip. "Oh no, Clemont, this is bad!" she frets, turning to her brother. "At this rate, Ash is gonna lose!"

Beside her, Clemont has a serious look on his face as he stares down at the field. He doesn't notice the blanket starting to slide off his shoulders, too intent on the battle in front of them. "Mirror Coat is a tough move to beat," he agrees worriedly. _Mirror Coat only reflects special moves though, so why would Ash keep using them?_ Clemont frowns, trying to understand Ash's strategy. _Maybe he doesn't know that Mirror Coat only works on certain types of moves? He should; I know he has a move database in his memory somewhere._

A rueful sigh escapes him. _Of course, Ash is the type of person who rushes in without checking things first, so it's entirely possible he doesn't know._

The feel of cloth moving over his shoulder draws Clemont out of his thoughts; he finds Bonnie on tip-toe, trying to pull the escaping blanket back into place. He crouches down to make it easier for her with a murmur of thanks. Bonnie's face is troubled as she settles the cloth into place and Clemont ruffles her hair gently. "It'll be okay," Clemont reassures her. "It's not the end of the world even if Ash loses; he's lost before. Besides, I'm sure Ash will come up with some kind of amazing comeback. It's practically his specialty!"

Bonnie giggles. "Yeah!" She pats his shoulders, blanket back in place. "There you go, Clemont!"

"Thanks, Bonnie." Down on the field, both Trainers are calling encouragement to their Pokémon as they ready themselves for another exchange of attacks. Clemont glances across to the stands on the other side of the field, expecting to see the challenger's friends cheering for her as loudly as Bonnie and Pikachu are cheering for Ash. One of them _is_ cheering, but the other isn't watching the battle at all and is typing away frantically at a laptop sitting open on his knees instead. Clemont frowns. _That's odd. Why come at all if you aren't even going to watch, let alone cheer on your friend?_

He watches for a few moments before mentally shrugging and returning his attention back to the battle. There's any number of explanations as to why the man is more focused on his laptop than the battle and while it's certainly strange, it's not really any of his business. Besides, Ash has that gleam in his eye that Clemont recognises as a sign that he's about to make one of his specialty comebacks and he doesn't want to miss it.

/\/\/\

There is in fact a very good reason why the man is more focused on the laptop than on the battle happening right in front of him: James' role in Team Rocket's plan to capture the Pokémon and the robot in Lumiose Gym is currently proving more difficult to carry out than he had previously imagined.

The earbud in James' ear crackles to life with Jessie's voice. " _James, Meowth, status report._ "

" _The transmitter is all set up and ready to go!_ " Meowth replies in a gleeful whisper. " _It's pointin' straight at the twerp's side of the field. I can see Pikachu too, he's with the two blond haired twerps across the way."_

"Do you think maybe it's better to get Pikachu first?" James wonders aloud as he taps furiously at his keyboard. "That pesky Pokémon caused all the trouble last time…"

" _That's why we're gettin' the Gym Pokémon first!_ " Meowth explains patiently. " _Havin' those strong Gym Pokémon on our side will make catchin' Pikachu a breeze! It's a winning plan!_ "

"I see! That's the kind of plan I like!" James enthuses, momentarily cheered by the prospect of succeeding before his computer flashes ENTRY DENIED at him angrily. He sighs heavily.

" _James, what's taking so lo – PUMPKABOO, SHADOW BALL!"_ Jessie's voice screeches through James' earpiece as her attention returns to the sham Gym match that they're using as a cover for their plans. He almost falls off his bench in shock at the unexpected noise. James winces as he rubs his ear.

Meowth can't move easily from where he is perched atop their transmitter since it forms the bottom half of the Pokémon's disguise, but it doesn't stop the feline from making an impatient face at James. " _Yeah, what's the hold-up? The rest of us are good to go!_ "

James scowls at his computer as he rapidly types. "There's a million different signals being broadcast all over this Tower, trying to find the right one is like trying to find a needle in a haystack!" he complains. "All I know is that the robot must be nearby."

" _Well, try harder!_ " Jessie demands.

" _If we_ are _pickin' up a signal for it, it must be around here somewhere_ ," Meowth muses, looking around. " _Maybe they keep it in storage?_ "

" _We'll just have to lure it out after we've captured the other Pokémon,_ " Jessie cuts in over the top of Meowth. " _I can't keep this battle going forever, so hurry up!"_

James spares a long glance at the battlefield – or more specifically, his partner _on_ the battlefield, all fire and ferocity – before he drops his gaze back to his laptop screen and cracks his knuckles, determined to find that thin thread that will give him access to controlling the Gym's robot.

/\/\/\

Ash grits his teeth as Wobbuffet reflects yet another of Magneton's attacks. _Darn, special moves don't work…_ he thinks, before his grimace turns into a determined smile. _Alright, let's see what physical moves do then!_ "Heliolisk, use Dragon Tail on Wobbuffet! Magneton, aim for Pumpkaboo with Thunder Shock!"

"Wobbuffet! Counter it! Pumpkaboo, dodge!" his opponent retorts. Ash lets out a small 'tch' as Heliolisk brings its tail down on a glowing Wobbuffet, only to be knocked back several meters as the attack is reflected. _Damn, it even blocks physical moves?!_ Ash thinks with an internal frown, calling encouragement to Heliolisk as the lizard Pokémon gets to its feet again.

In a stroke of good fortune, Magneton discharges a fast Thunder Shock that the other floating Pokémon is unable to dodge in time. Pumpkaboo is knocked back with a cry, but recovers quickly and floats back up to Magneton's level, though a trifle unsteadily. "Yeah! Magneton!"

"That was a good move combo," Clemont comments in approval, leaning forward slightly on the dividing wall. He's mostly talking to himself, but Clemont soon realises he's caught Bonnie and Pikachu's attention with his words when he hears a, "Huh?" from beside him.

"Ash used a physical move and a special move," Clemont explains to his curious audience. "Counter and Mirror Coat might reflect attacks, but there's no way for Wobbuffet to be able to reflect both types of move at once – if Wobbuffet jumped to shield Pumpkaboo like before, Heliolisk's attack would have hit. If Dragon Tail was countered, then Pumpkaboo was open to getting hit by Thunder Shock – which is what happened. It's a good strategy to use, unless his opponent comes up with a way to counter it."

"Oh..." Bonnie looks thoughtful as she turns back to the battlefield. Taking a deep breath, she cups her hands around her mouth, "ASH! MAGNETON! HELIOLISK! YOU CAN DO IT!"

"Do your best!" Clemont calls as well, adding his support. Beside him, Pikachu also cheers the trio on loudly. Ash looks over towards the stands, a startled look on his face before it transforms into a wide grin and he shoots them a thumbs up.

Still grinning, Ash returns his attention back to the battle at hand. _Argh, landing a hit is so hard with Wobbuffet reflecting my Pokémon's attacks all the time! If this keeps going, they'll be wiped out in no time! I can tell Magneton's getting exhausted. I need to win this battle soon._ Brown eyes flick to the stands and back again. _But I'm not gonna lose when everyone's cheering us all on so much!_

"Pumpkaboo, Shadow Ball!" Jessilina calls from the other end of the field.

"Dodge it!" Ash counters automatically; Heliolisk and Magneton dive to the side and the attack detonates against the ground between them, throwing up a cloud of dust and smoke. The robot squints through the dust cloud behind an arm raised to needlessly shield his face. _She never orders Wobbuffet to attack…_ _I guess its role must be defence only? Unless it doesn't know any other attacks?_

The dust and smoke is still thick in the air and Ash briefly considers switching to his other vision in order to see through it, but decides against it – that would be cheating, after all. As he waits for the air around the field to clear, he is reminded of his very first battle with Clemont. It had been light that obscured the battlefield that time, not smoke, but even back then Ash trusted Clemont's Pokémon enough to pull off his instinctive thrown-together strategy, even if it went against all of the logic stored in his code.

 _Of course, Clemont still beat me that time anyway_ , Ash muses. _Even half-blinded, Heliolisk still managed to hit us with Parabolic Charge…_ The spark of an idea strikes him and Ash straightens as he glances quickly around the room. _Yeah, I think that might just work…!_

The smoke has mostly cleared away while he was lost in thought. Ash wastes no more time in calling out an attack. "Heliolisk! Parabolic Charge!"

Jessilina laughs, high-pitched and triumphant. "This is too easy! Wobbuffet, send it right back!" she orders confidently. Wobbuffet jumps forward, ready to shield Pumpkaboo as well as Heliolisk's frills flare out to release a Parabolic Charge.

Ash waits until the initial ball of energy is high in the air and then commands, "Magneton, Mirror Shot, now!" and throws up an arm to shield his vision. The air flashes a brilliant white with all reflected light, not just from the Gym but Heliolisk's attack as well. There's a cry of alarm from his opponent, echoed by her Pokémon as they realise they can't see a thing and _that's_ the signal he's been waiting for. "You can't reflect an attack you can't see!" Ash calls with a grin. "Now Heliolisk! Finish with Parabolic Charge!"

With a cry, Heliolisk looses the delayed Parabolic Charge at last and lightning rains down upon the field. Ash knows that Heliolisk can't aim too well in this bright light, but Parabolic Charge is a field-wide attack – it's almost guaranteed that it'll hit _something_. Ash just hopes that 'something' is the opponent's Pokémon.

There's a cry and a thump and when the light finally dims enough for everyone bar Ash to squint through watering eyes, they find Pumpkaboo lying unconscious on the ground.

"Ah! Pumpkaboo!" Jesselina cries in distress.

"Pumpkaboo is unable to battle!" Ash announces, noting with some satisfaction that Heliolisk is looking more refreshed as the green healing glow fades. "Now you only have one Pokémon against my two, and Heliolisk's feeling all charged up now thanks to that Parabolic Charge, right, Heliolisk?"

"Zaaaa!" Heliolisk agrees, looking more determined than ever as he faces the remaining opponent.

"Yes!" Clemont and Bonnie cheer from the sidelines, Pikachu waving frantically. "Go, Ash! You can do it!"

"Tch. Pumpkaboo, return!" Jessilina orders, holding out a Pokéball. Ash raises his eyebrows as she grumbles under her breath and shoots a glare towards her cheer squad in the stands. _I thought they're her friends, why would she be mad at_ them _for Pumpkaboo losing?_ "Wobbuffet, don't you dare lose!"

"Wobba!" the Pokémon replies, saluting. Both Heliolisk and Magneton ready themselves, waiting for Wobbuffet to strike first. However, when no such attack comes, Ash realises that his earlier guess about Wobbuffet's defensive moves is probably right.

"Well, I guess it's up to us to go first then!" he comments. _Wobbuffet can only reflect one type of move at a time, so…_ "Magneton! Thunder Shock!"

"Wobbuffet, Mirror Coat!" Jessilina orders and Wobbuffet's body begins to shine with rainbow light. Ash grins with barely restrained glee. _Just as I thought!_

"Now, Heliolisk!" he calls. "Quick Attack!"

Wobbuffet barely has time to turn around in shock before Heliolisk slams into it with all the lizard Pokémon's considerable speed, sending Wobbuffet crashing into the low wall of the stands just below where Jesselina's friends are seated.

"Wobbuffet!" Jessilina yells. "Get up now!" As Wobbuffet struggles to its feet, Ash doesn't notice her turn and hiss "What's taking you so long?!" to the two sitting in the stands.

"Yeah!" Ash cheers. "That was great, you guys! Keep it up and we'll win this in no time!" Heliolisk and Magneton turn to look at him, both of them looking tired but not lacking in energy as they enthusiastically chorus a response. All of a sudden, Heliolisk staggers and claps paws over his ears with a pained cry. "Heliolisk?!" Ash cries, triumph turning to concern in an instant. "Heliolisk, are you alright?"

It's not just Heliolisk, Ash realises. His eyes widen with shock when he sees Magneton floating in erratic patterns, eyes shut tightly in pain. "Hey, what's going on? What's wrong with you guys?"

Neither Pokémon respond to his frantic questions as they screech with pain. Ash darts out onto the field, forgetting to call a time-out in his single-minded focus to find out what is wrong with his Pokémon. The match doesn't matter, not when Heliolisk and Magneton are suffering like this. He drops to his knees beside Heliolisk, reaching out a hand. "Heliolisk? What's wrong?"

Up in the stands, the blanket slips unnoticed from Clemont's shoulders once again as he leans forward over the wall, fingers white where they clutch at the stone. "Something's not right!" he cries, eyes wide. A discomforted whine draws his attention down to Pikachu. The electric Pokémon's ears are slanted back almost flat to his skull and every now and then he shakes his head like he's trying to clear it. "Pikachu, what is it?" he asks frantically. _Whatever's hurting all of the Pokémon, it's not caused by the battle or else Pikachu wouldn't be affected as well._

" _Chuuuuuuu_ ," Pikachu whines, jumping down from the wall. The electric Pokémon stumbles a bit upon landing and Bonnie drops to her knees beside him, scooping him into her arms.

"Pikachu, are you alright?" she asks in concern. Pikachu's ears twitch for a few seconds before he burrows further into her arms.

"Pika _chuuuuu_ ," is the miserable response.

Bonnie looks up at her brother, eyes wide with the same worry that's reflected on Clemont's face as he stares down at the two of them. He glances out at the field, where Ash is still talking to Heliolisk and Magneton, hands checking over the lizard Pokémon for any hidden injuries that might be causing the pain. Clemont somehow knows that Ash isn't going to find any. _Something else is causing this… but what?_ he thinks, biting at his lower lip.

Suddenly, Ash yelps in surprise and Clemont's gaze snaps to him just in time to see Heliolisk send the robot sprawling with a Dragon Tail. "Ash!"

Luckily, Ash is back on his feet within seconds, seemingly unharmed by the attack. He approaches the two Pokémon carefully; Clemont is surprised to see Heliolisk and Magneton back away.

"Hey, Clemont…? Don't you think Heliolisk and Magneton are acting kinda strange?" Bonnie says in confusion. A weak 'Pikapi' tags onto the end of her sentence. "They've never run away from Ash before…"

"Yeah…" Clemont says slowly. All of Clemont's Pokémon adore the robot just as much as they do their actual Trainer, but none moreso than Magneton, the first Pokémon Ash had ever battled together with. Something has to be seriously wrong for the magnet Pokémon to be sparking threateningly at Ash as he approaches. _Maybe they're in enough pain that they just don't recognise him anymore?_ he wonders, feeling sick. Something catches his eye and Clemont leans forward, adjusting his glasses – are their eyes glowing _red_?!

"Ash, watch out!" he cries, a split second before Magneton looses a Thunder Shock at Ash's feet. Ash dances backwards, barely dodging the attack.

"Whoa!" Ash says, eyes wide. He steps forward again, arms held out entreatingly. "Magneton, it's me, Ash! Come on, it's okay, you know me…"

Ringing laughter echoes around the Gym, drawing everyone's attention. "Sorry twerp, but they don't know you any more!" Jessilina announces triumphantly as her two companions jump down beside her.

"What do you mean?!" Ash exclaims. "What did you do? I thought you were here for a Gym battle!"

The Trainer snorts. "As if I'd be interested in _winning_ a badge when I could just _steal_ one…. and all of your pretty little Pokémon too!"

" _What?!_ " Ash grits his teeth. "Just who are you anyway?!"

The trio chuckles with evil menace. "Prepare for trouble with an electric wave!" Jessilina announces, striking a pose.

"Team Rocket's gonna make all your Pokémon behave!" Her taller companion adds, striking a pose beside her with his laptop balanced in one hand.

With a flourish, the trio discard their disguises to reveal a familiar white uniform with a large red 'R' emblazoned on the front.

 _"To protect the world from devastation!  
To unite all people within our nation!  
To denounce the evils of truth and love!  
To extend our reach to the stars above!  
Jessie!  
James!  
Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!  
Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"_

"Meowth, that's right!" The third member of the thieving trio strikes a pose on top of a machine concealed under his disguise until now.

"Wobbuffet!" chimes in the blue Pokémon.

"Team Rocket!" Ash growls, clenching his fists. On the other side of the field, Pikachu leaps out of Bonnie's arms into a threatening stance on the wall, sparks flying madly from his cheeks at the sight of the three thieves.

"What?!" Clemont gasps. _A man, a woman and a talking Meowth… this is… this is the group of Pokémon thieves that Ash and Pikachu ran into!_ Part of him is marvelling that there is a _talking Pokémon_ right here in front of him but for the most part Clemont is horrified that such a despicable group is here in his Gym – and _angry_ , he realises with a start. He's angry that these people who hurt his closest friend and caused Pikachu so much pain have come back. "Bonnie, please stay here!" he orders, turning towards the stairs.

"But –" Bonnie starts to argue, but Clemont spins around and places his hands on her shoulders to silence her.

"Please, Bonnie, you and Pikachu stay here. Those three are dangerous," he insists, over the protests of both his sister and Pikachu. "They're the ones who hurt Pikachu before; Ash and I need to make sure they don't hurt any other Pokémon."

His expression is so serious that Bonnie's protests subside and she nods, albeit reluctantly. He ruffles her hair and looks to Pikachu. "You stay here too, Pikachu – I don't know what they've done to Magneton and Heliolisk, but I don't want to risk you getting hurt. I'm counting on you to look after Bonnie for me and Ash, okay?"

"Pikapi…" Pikachu looks towards where Ash stands, body tense and ears twitching madly. Clemont knows that Pikachu dearly wants to leap off the wall and face Team Rocket down in a rematch, but there's no way he's going to let Pikachu fight before they can reverse whatever has been done to his Pokémon. Finally, Pikachu nods tersely. "Pipika, pikapi pika!"

"Yeah, you go get 'em, Clemont!" Bonnie agrees. Clemont gives them both a grateful smile before he turns and dashes towards the stairs to the arena floor as fast as he can.

"What have you done to Magneton and Heliolisk?" he hears Ash demand in a loud voice. "Give them back, right now!"

"No can do, twerp," James says, waving a finger in mock severity. "Magneton and Heliolisk are now officially Team Rocket members!"

They laugh at Ash's enraged growl. "See, this here machine," Meowth explains, tapping a foot against the metal structure he stands on, "emits radio waves. And all we gotta do is make those waves say t' listen t' Team Rocket and voila! Any electric Pokémon _has_ to obey us."

"That's despicable!" Ash shouts.

The trio chuckle. "Despicable, I like the sound of that!" James says to the others. "It sounds _evil._ "

"Evil masterminds, that's us!" Meowth agrees. "Now nothin' can stop us getting our hands on all the rare Pokémon in this here Gym!"

"Speaking of rare Pokémon…" Jessie says, shading her eyes with a hand and glancing around. "I thought there'd be more Pokémon in an official Gym than just these measly two." She flicks a hand towards Magneton and Heliolisk.

Ash scowls. "There's nothing measly about them! _Give them back!_ "

Clemont skids to a stop beside Ash, panting from running so fast. Maybe he _should_ do more of those training exercises Ash keeps insisting he join in on. "We won't let you steal _any_ of the Pokémon from this Gym!" he adds once he catches his breath.

"Huh? Who are you?" Jessie says, raising an eyebrow at the appearance of another twerp.

Clemont straightens, glasses catching the light. "My name is Clemont and –" he glances towards Ash, who nods, " _we're_ the Leaders of Lumiose Gym!"

James snorts. "Gym Leader or not, you're both just pitiful twerps to us!"

"Why, you –!"

Clemont grabs Ash before the robot can launch himself towards the snickering trio. "Calm down, Ash!" he whispers urgently. "I know you want to get Magneton and Heliolisk back, but rushing in recklessly won't get us anywhere."

A few tense moments pass before Ash sighs and relaxes in Clemont's grip, much to his relief. "You're right." Suddenly, Ash's eyes go wide and he looks around wildly. "Oh no, Pikachu –"

"– is fine, I asked him to stay with Bonnie," Clemont reassures him in a low voice, letting go of Ash. "They're safe."

The corner of Ash's mouth turns up in a smile. "Thanks, Clemont," Ash says, relief in his eyes. He turns back to face Team Rocket. "So, what's the plan?"

Clemont studies the trio – or more specifically, the machine at Meowth's feet. It resembles a radio dish on wheels; steel and sturdy and emblazoned with a big red R like the miscreants' uniforms. He points the dish out to Ash covertly. "See that? I think the machine is sending out radio waves through that emitter. It must be on a frequency that affects only electric-type Pokémon. If we can destroy it, Magneton and Heliolisk should go back to normal."

"Alright, you draw their attention with Bunnelby," Ash whispers back. "I'll try and sneak close enough to destroy that machine."

Even though the thought of Ash being in danger again has Clemont's heart in his throat, he still nods in acceptance of Ash's plan. Clemont's the only one of the two with a non-electric Pokémon and realistically, Ash is much less likely to get hurt if Team Rocket discover him sneaking around and start attacking _him_ instead. It's the most logical plan, but that doesn't mean Clemont has to like it.

"What are you whispering about?" Jessie says suspiciously.

James laughs. "How cute, they think they can come up with a plan to beat us!"

"I did it before, I'll do it again!" Ash retorts hotly, much to Team Rocket's amusement.

"You only beat us before, _twerp_ , 'cause that weirdo in the red cape turned up to save ya," Meowth sneers. "Well, he ain't comin' to help youse this time! There ain't nothin' you can do to stop us taking all the Pokémon in this here Gym!"

"We'll see about that!" Clemont announces. "Bunnelby, come on out!"

"Bun!" Bunnelby appears in a flash of light. Bunnelby is clearly tired from all of the previous battles he's been in this morning, even though the small Pokémon stands ready to fight. _Sorry, Bunnelby,_ he silently apologises. _I know you're tired, but you're the only Pokémon I have who won't be affected by Team Rocket's machine. Please hang in there a little while longer!_

"Oooh, let's grab that one too!" James says excitedly. "It's not an electric-type, though…"

"Then we'll just have to catch it for the Boss the old-fashioned way!" Jessie replies. "Magneton! Thunder Shock those twerps!"

Clemont, Bunnelby and Ash all leap backward, narrowly avoiding the bolt of electricity that strikes the ground their feet. "Whoa!" Ash cries from beside him. "That's dangerous!"

"Magneton, please!" Clemont pleads. "You've got to fight it!" He stares up at his partner Pokémon, willing it to break free of Team Rocket's mind-control. "I don't want to have to fight you," he whispers softly. Ash is the only one close enough to hear his words, glancing at him sharply. Worry tugs the corners of Ash's mouth down when Clemont looks towards him. _We'll get them back, no worries!_ Ash mouths to him with a determined nod. Clemont nods back in agreement.

Jessie laughs; Clemont is starting to hate the sound of it. "Magneton's on _our_ side now!" she taunts with a sly grin. "Cutesy words aren't going to break through _our_ electric waves!"

"And if you think that's bad, wait til you get a loada this!" Meowth adds, slamming a paw down on a button at the base of the radio dish. Behind him, James whips out the laptop from before and starts tapping at keys with a feverish haste. "We heard there's a robot runnin' around in here, and it's gonna make a nice addition to Team Rocket!"

" _What?!_ " Ash and Clemont exclaim in unison, sharing a wide-eyed glance. It's not really a secret that there's a robot acting as Gym Leader sometimes – Clemont has never meant for it to be one anyway – but what on earth could such terrible Pokémon thieves want with Ash? _They want to try and steal him too,_ Clemont realises with a pang of anguish and he finds himself stepping closer to Ash, wanting to shield him from the trio of thieves even though he knows Ash is not the sort of person to hide behind anyone when there is danger. True enough, Ash stays by Clemont's side, shooting him a reassuring grin when Clemont glances his way.

"Now then! Come to us, robot!" James announces gleefully, hitting a final key with a flourish. A light on the machine at Meowth's feet flickers from red to blue and it starts to whirr loudly.

Everyone freezes, holding their breath as they wait in tense silence for something to happen. When nothing happens after a few seconds, Clemont lets out a shaky breath, relieved that Team Rocket's plan – whatever it is – doesn't seem to have worked.

"Huh? Where is it?" Jessie asks, shading her eyes against the glare of the Gym's lights and looking around. "James, why isn't it turning up?"

"Ash, we should –" Clemont turns to Ash and cuts off abruptly when he sees Ash's eyes, wide and unseeing. "Ash! Are you alright?" He grabs at Ash's shoulder in concern. Ash blinks slowly – once, twice – and looks at Clemont in panic.

"Clemont, I don't – AH!" With a sharp cry, Ash claps his hands over his ears and hunches in on himself, eyes squeezed shut in pain.

"Ash?!" Clemont says frantically, ignoring Team Rocket altogether as he spins Ash to face him, clutching at his arms. "What's wrong?"

"I – I don't – it _hurts_ , Clemont!" Ash gasps, curling into Clemont's hold and resting his forehead against his shoulder as though his friend might be able to ward off his pain. Like this, Clemont can't see Ash's face anymore, but he can feel Ash shaking under his hands. "My head – it _really_ hurts –" Ash cuts off with a groan, muffled against Clemont's shoulder. "Clemont –"

"Shhh, it's okay, it's okay," Clemont says, trying – and failing miserably – to sound calm as he rubs soothing circles with his thumbs against Ash's arms. He needs to stay calm; panicking won't help Ash, he's got to focus – reassure Ash like he would Bonnie if this were one of her nightmares – because if he thinks about Ash's voice thick with pain, or the way that Ash is shaking in his grip – if he thinks about what could be _hurting Ash_ _so badly_ when Ash barely notices throwing his shoulder out of alignment –

"A –" His voice cracks against a dry throat and he swallows and tries again. "Ash? Hang on, I'm here, you'll be okay. Can you – can you tell me what's wrong?"

"It _hurts_ ," is the gasped reply. "Feels like – like a code upgrade… but they always felt _weird_ , not – not like this –"

' _We heard there's a robot runnin' around in here, and it's gonna make a nice addition to Team Rocket!'_

Clemont's hands tighten against Ash's arms, fear making his heart pound painfully in his chest. Team Rocket have managed to take control of Magneton and Heliolisk with electrical waves; could they be broadcasting something now that is affecting Ash? _Feels like a code upgrade_ , Ash had said – he's always hated the code upgrades Clemont tries to run…

Clemont goes cold. "Ash," he says frantically, squeezing Ash's arms, mind racing. Changing Ash's code had always required hooking Ash back up to the computer in Clemont's workshop; if Team Rocket had found a way around that… "You've got to fight it, do you hear me?" he orders. "Please, Ash, you can't let them change any part of your code!" Ash's AI system is complex; it's grown far beyond whatever Clemont had ever imagined when he had first written it all those months ago. If Team Rocket really _are_ trying to rewrite part of Ash's code to control him the way they've taken Clemont's Pokémon – getting it wrong could cause Ash just as much damage as getting it right. "Ash!"

"Wait, you're kidding me, right?!" He hears Jessie's voice rise in disbelief. "James, you were supposed to take control of the robot, not the twerp!"

"But I did!" James replies, equally bewildered. "This machine is just transmitting the code sequence I changed, it shouldn't be affecting _him_!"

"So that means…" Meowth says slowly. There's a few moments of silence as the trio look at each other, eyes wide as things click together.

"… _HE'S_ THE ROBOT?!"

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	13. Chapter 13

_It's about to get serious...!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13**_

"… _HE'S_ THE ROBOT?!"

Clemont barely notices the exclamation or the stunned silence that follow it. All of his attention is on Ash. _Pikachu isn't affected by those waves in the same way Magneton and Heliolisk are, even though they're all electric-types_. _There must be a limitation of some kind on how far the waves can reach... if I can just get Ash away from here, he'll be out of danger!_

"Ash, come on," he says urgently. "We need to retreat for now." Ash stumbles a bit as Clemont tries to push him towards safety, only for the robot to dig in his heels and refuse to move.

"No!" Ash insists, gritting his teeth. His face is still set in a grimace of pain, but his eyes are determined as they meet Clemont's. "I won't give up as long as I can still fight!"

"Ash, it's dangerous!" Clemont protests.

Ash shakes his head stubbornly and pulls his hands away from his ears with effort. "That doesn't matter, I won't gARGH!" His hands slam back over his ears and he hunches over again. "I don't want… to…" Ash's voice trails off oddly and he falls still under Clemont's hands.

Clemont waits a moment, panic steadily rising every moment that Ash remains silent and unmoving. "Ash?" he asks uncertainly. For a second, he thinks that Ash has started shaking again until he realises that it's _his_ fingers trembling upon Ash's still shoulders. "Are you alright?" _Please answer me, tell me you're okay._

A low growl rumbles at the edge of Clemont's hearing but he barely has time to register what he's hearing when Ash looks up and Clemont jerks backwards in surprise with an undignified yelp _because_ _Ash's eyes are_ _glowing red._ Before he even has time to process _that_ , something shoves him hard in the chest and he falls, sprawling backward across the hard ground of the Gym with a cry.

"Ah! Clemont!" Bonnie calls from behind him, echoed by Bunnelby as the Pokémon hops up beside him looking worried. He sits up slowly, wincing and rubbing his chest. "Are you okay?"

Bonnie's voice is getting closer; he can hear her hurried footsteps making their way towards him as well. "Don't come closer, Bonnie! It's too dangerous!" he calls back. "I'm okay, just winded."

"Thank goodness! Is Ash okay?"

Clemont's breath catches in his throat as he raises his eyes to meet Ash's. No matter how hard Clemont searches, there's no sign of the warm brown he's so used to. Ash's eyes are cold and hard and Clemont flinches away from the harsh red glow. "…Ash?" he asks tentatively. "Ash, can you hear me?"

Ash continues to stare at him without blinking once. The small, tentative hope that maybe this is just overload, not any kind of sign that Ash's coding has been changed – that Ash is being controlled like his Pokémon – fades at the lack of recognition in glowing red eyes. "Ash, it's me, Clemont," he tries again, voice pleading. "You know me. Can you tell me what's wrong, please?"

Still no response. Clemont feels his fingers scrape against the ground as they curl into useless fists. "Please, Ash!" he cries desperately. _Please tell me you're alright! Please tell me you're not – you're not –_ His eyes squeeze shut as he fights back tears.

Laughter breaks through the silence and Clemont glares up at Team Rocket, who all look entirely too smug. "Sorry, twerp, he's part of Team Rocket now!" Jessie crows triumphantly. "He belongs to us now!"

"He doesn't belong to anyone, least of all you!" Clemont yells back, his voice shaking. Ash is Ash. Maybe Clemont is the one who had made him – was it only months ago? – had given Ash the base to start from, but Ash is truly his own person now. He continues to surprise and impress Clemont every day and Clemont was so, so proud of Ash. Has he ever told Ash that? Will he ever get a chance to now, with Ash staring him down so coldly with a face void of all of the usual overabundance of emotion? "Give him back!"

"Sorry, no can do!" James sing-songs. "It was difficult, but we hacked into its programming and now that robot is ours!"

"I still can't believe that annoying _twerp_ is the robot we were looking for," Meowth grumbles.

"Me neither," Jessie comments, folding her arms.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Yes, but this makes it even easier to catch Pikachu, right?" James points out. "That pesky Pokémon won't have the twerp to back him up!"

Clemont barely hears them, still staring up at Ash as his friend stands over him with those cold eyes. _We hacked into his programming._ The words echo in Clemont's head. _We hacked into his programming._ Ash's code is what makes Ash who he is, growing and learning all the time as he experiences the world and not even Clemont dares to touch it anymore for fear of damaging Ash. Yet these three have forced their way inside Ash's head and made him into this cold, silent _shadow_ of his friend and Clemont isn't sure if he can get Ash back. What if – what if they've damaged something permanently? What if the bright and cheerful boy Clemont knows is gone forever, overwritten by this bizarre nightmarish Ash?

The awful possibility that he might have lost Ash even if he manages to defeat Team Rocket by himself squeezes at his lungs and heart, making it hard to breathe. _I don't know what to do_ , Clemont thinks desperately, feeling his fingers tremble against the ground. The sight of Ash standing against him together with Team Rocket, the very people who have _hurt_ Ash once before, makes Clemont's blood run cold and he is frozen in place, unsure what he should do and terrified for his friend.

Through the terrified fog clouding his thoughts, he hears Bonnie call out. Pikachu scrambles over Clemont's shoulder to plant himself directly between Ash and Clemont, leaving him blinking in astonishment.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu calls. "Pika pikachu pikapi pi!"

Ash's blank stare drops from Clemont to Pikachu and Clemont holds his breath in hope. However, after long moments it's clear that Ash doesn't recognise Pikachu either. Clemont reaches out towards him. "Pikachu –"

Pikachu ignores him, raising his voice. "Pikapi!" the small Pokémon demands, taking a step towards Ash only to dart backwards again when Magneton and Heliolisk leap forward to defend the robot. Pikachu rebukes them in an irritated tone, sparks flying warningly from his cheeks.

"Clemont! Are you okay?" Clemont drags his gaze away from the confrontation in front of him as Bonnie kneels beside him.

"Bonnie! It's too dangerous for you here!" he exclaims in concern.

"Then it's just as dangerous for you and Ash and Pikachu too!" Bonnie retorts stubbornly. "Besides, you told me to stay with Pikachu!"

"Yes, but…" Clemont trails off lamely, lacking a proper counter-argument to his sister's words.

Satisfied that her brother is unharmed, Bonnie tugs on his arm. "Come on, Clemont, we have to rescue Magneton and Heliolisk!" she urges, turning to face Pikachu and Ash. "Go Ash! Show Team Rocket why they shouldn't mess with us!"

"Bonnie–" Clemont starts, heart clenching at the realisation that Bonnie has missed everything that has happened in the past few minutes, that she doesn't know about Ash –

There's no spark of recognition in the robot's eyes when he looks down at his three closest companions. Clemont shivers at how utterly _blank_ Ash's face looks – _just like a real robot_ , he thinks, slightly hysterically. Ash has always been a whirlwind of movement and energy, always wearing his metaphorical heart on his sleeve. _This_ Ash stands as silent and still and expressionless as a stone.

Clearly, the change in Ash is not lost on Bonnie, as she presses closer to Clemont instinctively. "What's wrong with Ash…?" she asks, worry creeping into her voice. "Why's he just standing there and ignoring us?"

Clemont closes his eyes briefly. He doesn't want to tell her – not so much because he wants to shield her from the distressing truth, but because if he speaks the words aloud it will make things real in a way that Clemont doesn't want to accept. Still, Bonnie loves Ash just as much as he; she deserves to know the truth.

"Ash is…" His eyes meet glowing red for a second and he flinches away, looking at Bonnie instead. "He's not himself, Bonnie. Team Rocket's machine has done something to his code; he's being controlled like Magneton and Heliolisk."

Bonnie gasps, her eyes wide with horror. "That's awful! Poor Ash…" Her grip on his sleeve tightens and a glint of determination appears in her eyes. "We can't let them have Ash! We've got to get him and the Pokémon back!"

"I don't know if we can," he whispers, feeling hopeless. _All we have are Magnemite, Pikachu and Bunnelby… and Pikachu and Magnemite are at high risk of getting controlled the same way as Magneton and Heliolisk, not to mention that Bunnelby's already worn out. I'm not sure we can win a battle under these conditions… and even if we did, there's no guarantee Ash will go back to normal either, not if they've messed with his coding._

"We still have to try!" Bonnie insists. "Ash is counting on you! Come on, Clemont, don't give up til the very end! Isn't that what Ash is always saying? Pikachu's giving it his all too, look!"

She points. Clemont looks at the small yellow Pokémon in front of him, still trying desperately to get the robot to remember them. Even when Ash turns away, Pikachu keeps trying, not willing to give up on somehow getting Ash back to normal.

 _'I won't give up as long as I can still fight!'_ Ash's last words before succumbing to Team Rocket's machine echo in Clemont's mind. Ash had tried so hard to fight whatever Team Rocket had done to him up to the very last moment, but in the end Ash is still a robot and still subject to his code. Even Ash can't fight that.

Then again, Ash seems to thrive on never doing what's expected of him; he never lets limits hold him back. No matter how hard or impossible something seems, Ash tries and tries again until he succeeded. That stubborn determination has always been something Clemont admires about Ash and it's something the robot came up with all on his own – Clemont had certainly never programmed anything like it into Ash's code. If anyone could do the impossible – if there was a robot that could defy its own code – it'd be Ash.

 _No_ . _I refuse to believe that the Ash I know isn't still in there somewhere!_ A spark of determination lights his eyes and he looks up at Ash. _Even if you can't fight any more, I'll fight for you!_ "You're right, Bonnie," Clemont says, slowly getting to his feet. He squeezes her hand and gives her a small reassuring smile before turning his gaze on Ash. "I won't give up on you! Please, Ash!"

" _Pikapi_ ," Pikachu pleads, ears drooping. Ash's eyes slide between all three of them, but there's still no sign of recognition, no spark that Clemont recognises as _his_ Ash.

"Well, this is all very touching," Jessie cuts in. Clemont doesn't take his eyes off Ash, but he can practically hear the smirk in her tone. "But we really need to be off, so why don't you make this easy and just hand over the rest of your Pokémon?"

"Why don't _you_ make things easy and just give everyone back so we don't have to beat you?" Bonnie counters, sticking out her tongue. Clemont smiles inwardly at his little sister's bravery.

"Why you little –" Jessie splutters. She turns to her companions, pointing a finger at Clemont and Bonnie. "Do something about them!" she demands angrily.

"Ah, right away!" James replies, quickly tapping something out on his laptop. In front of them, Ash cocks his head to the side as though listening to something. After a moment, the robot's gaze slides towards Clemont and Bonnie, focusing on them properly for the first time since he'd been overtaken. Ash turns to look at Magneton floating beside him; his movements have nothing of the fluid grace that Ash usually displays. _This is not Ash._

"Magneton." It's the first words Ash has spoken in minutes and Clemont shivers at how flat his voice sounds. Ash without his usual spark is… unsettling. Horrifying. "Use Thunderbolt." _Alright, 'unsettling' is much too mild of a word to use!_

Unsettling or otherwise, Ash is also dangerous in this state as well, Clemont realises a beat later when a Thunderbolt heads his and Bonnie's way. "Watch out!" he yells and grabs Bonnie, rolling them both to the side. It's not a moment too soon either; Clemont flinches as a bolt of lightning scorches the ground close by. _That was close!_

He pushes himself off the ground with a groan. "Are you alright?" he asks Bonnie, checking her over for any injuries.

Bonnie's eyes are wide, but there is a smile on her face as she reassures him, "I'm fine!". She springs upright with ease as Clemont clambers to his feet more slowly beside her. He spots Pikachu and Bunnelby sprawled a few feet away and breathes a quiet sigh of relief that the two of them seem unharmed from the unexpected attack.

Clemont turns back to Ash, a shiver running down his spine when he meets that unsettling, blank-eyed gaze. Even so, Clemont refuses to back down. _I have to get through to Ash somehow!_

"That was dangerous!" Clemont scolds. On any other day, such a reprimand would have had Ash sheepishly apologising; Ash's apparent inability to understand the concept of _danger_ will turn Clemont's hair white one day, he's sure of it, but the robot would never put anyone in danger deliberately.

Or so Clemont had thought. _This_ version of Ash merely shrugs, uncaring. "That was a warning shot," the robot replies, his voice flat. Clemont grits his teeth. _What have they done to you…?_

A sharp cry of "Pikapi!" splits the air and breaks the staring contest between inventor and robot. Pikachu darts forward and repeats insistently, "Pikapi!"

Ash shakes his head. "Not me." Pikachu looks startled for a moment as Ash turns away. Surprise turns quickly to anger and Clemont and Bonnie both yelp as an irate Thunderbolt zigzags towards Ash.

"Watch out!" Clemont yells. It's a useless warning; the Thunderbolt strikes true but Ash shrugs off the electricity with ease, unfazed by the attack. _Of course,_ Clemont remembers belatedly, _I made sure electric attacks wouldn't harm him._

Team Rocket laugh triumphantly. "Haha! It's even better than we thought! There's no way your puny electric attacks are gonna do a thing against _our_ robot!" Meowth crows gleefully.

"He's _not yours!_ " Clemont snaps back at him, hands curling into fists. The fury inside him at the way they act like Ash is merely an object to be _owned_ clashes with the fear that Ash will be lost forever if Clemont can't break through Team Rocket's mind control. _I can't give up!_ he thinks, clenching his fists tighter to stop them from trembling. _I have to –_

Out of the corner of his eye, Clemont spots the furious look on Pikachu's face just as sparks starts to fly out of his cheeks. "No, wait!" he shouts, diving at the electric Pokémon and scooping him up before Pikachu can loose another Thunderbolt at Ash. Pikachu twists in his arms, trying to break free, but Clemont manages to hold onto him. "That won't work, Pikachu!" he tells the squirming Pokémon desperately. "Electricity won't affect him, you can't wake him up like that!" Pikachu's struggles slow until he sits unresisting in Clemont's arms, ears drooping in misery.

"Pikapi…"

Clemont rests his forehead against the top of Pikachu's head for a moment, exhaling a quiet breath of relief against the soft fur. Even knowing Pikachu's attack wouldn't do anything, the thought of watching Ash get hit by another Thunderbolt makes his blood run cold. Nor does he want Pikachu to look back on this later and regret attacking the person he trusts most in the world, even if Clemont knows Ash wouldn't blame Pikachu for doing so. "We'll get him back, I promise," he whispers. Pikachu looks up at him, gaze turning determined.

"Pika!"

"Aw, how sweet," Jessie drawls. "But it's useless! Meowth!"

"On it!" Meowth hits a button on the side of the machine and the radio dish swivels around to point towards Clemont and Pikachu.

"Alright, Pikachu's turn!" Jessie announces, pointing at said electric Pokémon. Clemont feels Pikachu twitch in surprise against his arms and his grip tightens in worry. "With the twerp on our side this should be even easier! You wanna be with him, right, Pikachu?"

 _What does she – oh no!_

Clemont realises their plan a second too late; he can only watch in horror as Meowth twirls a dial gleefully and Pikachu immediately claps paws over his ears, shaking his head with a distressed whine. "Hold on, Pikachu!" he says desperately. "Please, you have to fight it!" _You can't leave me too!_

" _Chaaaaaaaa!_ " Pikachu's voice is pained as he squirms, trying to burrow deeper into Clemont's arms to escape the waves being emitted by Team Rocket's machine.

 _I have to get him out of range!_

Clemont leaps to his feet and takes off, heading for the stairwell at the other end of the Gym with all the speed he can muster. "Please hang on, Pikachu," he begs the Pokémon struggling in his arms. He isn't very good at running even at the best of times, let alone while he's still recovering from a bad cold – he can already feel his fear-driven strength starting to falter. "Don't give uAAAA _AAAAGGGHHHHHHH_!"

Pain rips through his body and he collapses to the ground barely halfway across the battlefield, Pikachu tumbling out of his arms. He can dimly hear Bonnie yelling his name as he groans and tries to push himself up off the ground with shaking arms. _What happened? Did I trip over?_ Clemont wonders, reaching out blindly for his glasses and hissing a bit in frustration. _Ah, come on, where are they?_

Luckily, his glasses haven't flown too far and his hand closes over the familiar curves soon enough. Clemont snatches them from the ground and jams them on his nose, looking around wildly for Pikachu. _I have to keep going and get Pikachu out of here…!_

Piakchu appears uninjured by their fall, already on his feet by the time Clemont spots him. Relief soon curdles in Clemont's chest when he takes a closer look. Pikachu is on his feet, yes… with his tail raised and electricity sparking warningly from his cheeks. The electric Pokémon watches Clemont warily, like Clemont is once again the small Pokémon's _enemy_.

He hadn't tripped after all. That had been a Thunderbolt coursing through his veins.

"No…" Clemont whispers, breath catching in his throat at the sight of Pikachu's glowing red eyes. Eyes the same as Ash's, as Magneton and Heliolisk. _I couldn't protect him either…?_

"Pikachu!" he begs, holding out a hand. Pikachu takes a step back, eyes narrowing. Clemont lets his hand fall, trying desperately not to let rising terror overcome him. _I've lost them all…_ he thinks, eyes starting to burn with tears.

 _'I won't give up as long as I can still fight!'_

 _'Come on, Clemont, don't give up til the very end! Isn't that what Ash is always saying?'_

Ash and Bonnie's words echo back from memory and Clemont realises that they're right. If he gives up now, neither Ash nor his Pokémon will ever go back to normal. _I can't give up now!_ Clemont thinks, rubbing away unshed tears with a sleeve. _If I'm the only one left to fight for them, then that's what I'm going to do!_

"Clemont!" Bonnie skids to a stop beside him. "Clemont, are you alright?"

"I'm okay," he reassures her, accepting the hand she offers to help pull him to his feet. He sways a bit once he is standing – despite his words to Bonnie, he's starting to feel a little light-headed – and Bonnie looks skeptical at his repeated reassurances. She keeps a steadying hand on his arm as she turns to look at Pikachu and recoils against him with a gasp of dismay.

"Oh no, not Pikachu too!" Her grip on Clemont's arm tightens. "Poor Pikachu…"

He rests a comforting hand on the top of her head. "We'll get them back, Bonnie." When she tilts her head back to peer up at him with worry swimming in her eyes, he smiles. "I promise, okay?"

Bonnie stares at him a few moments longer before her brother's new-found determination bolsters her own courage. "Right!" she agrees with a smile.

Without warning, a Thunderbolt slams into the ground at their feet and sends them both stumbling backwards. "Pika pika chu!" Pikachu yells angrily, sparks flying from his cheeks. Recognising the warning signs, Clemont pushes Bonnie behind him just as Pikachu looses another Thunderbolt, this one aimed directly at them. He braces himself for the hit as lightning arches down –

– but it never comes. Instead, balls of mud come flying over his shoulder to smash into the Thunderbolt, deflecting its path as Bunnelby lands beside Clemont.

"Thanks, Bunnelby, you really saved us!" he tells the Pokémon fervently and Bunnelby grins in response before turning a determined gaze towards Pikachu. "Pikachu's being controlled like the others now, so be careful!"

"Bun!" Bunnelby acknowledges, hopping forward and planting feet squarely in a battle-ready position. Pikachu scowls back, electricity crackling wildly in the air around it. Both Clemont and Bunnelby watch carefully, waiting for the electric Pokémon to make the first move.

"Pikachu! Come here!" Ash calls from behind them, breaking the stalemate. Pikachu takes a few wary steps backwards, the electric Pokémon's gaze watchful. When they make no move to attack, Pikachu finally darts away, giving their small group a wide berth as he heads back towards Ash.

"Pikapi!" the Pokémon cries happily, leaping onto Ash's shoulder and nuzzling against the robot's cheek. Ash's mouth quirks upwards in a movement that is barely a smile and his blank expressions softens just the tiniest bit as he scratches Pikachu's chin in response. "Hey, Pikachu."

"Ahahahaha that was easy!" Team Rocket crows in unison. They start dancing around in triumphant victory as they sing "We captured Pikachu~ We finally captured Pikachu~ A robot and some Pokémon, all for us!"

Bonnie's cheeks puff out in indignation. "We'll show you!" she yells at them. "Right, Clemont?" When her brother doesn't reply, she looks up at him and finds him staring towards Ash and Pikachu. Bonnie nudges him in the side. "...Clemont?"

Clemont blinks, realising that an answer is expected from him. "Ah – Right! Of course!" he replies automatically, but he can't look away from that almost-smile, his mind whirling. _We hacked into his programming._ That's what Team Rocket had gloated about, that they had overwritten Ash's code to make him into their puppet. That's what he had assumed, when Ash refused to respond to or even _recognise_ any of them. That maybe _his_ Ash has been overwritten, wiped out by this horrible facsimile. But there's something in the voice of the Ash in front of them right now as he talks to Pikachu and smiles that almost-smile that makes Clemont think that maybe, just maybe, his Ash isn't as far gone as he had dreaded. Hope blossoms in his chest and a plan begins to form in his mind. _I will get you_ all _back!_

He turns to Bonnie, who is still glaring at Team Rocket as they boast their victory. "Bonnie…" She turns to look at him questioningly when he kneels down to look her in the eye. "There's something I need you to do." Bonnie inches closer so that she can hear his whispered request.

"Hey," Ash calls, cutting across whispered discussions and victory songs alike. "Are we gonna battle or are you just gonna stand there whispering all day?"

Clemont can't help the smile that quirks his lips for a moment. _Even mind-controlled, there are some things about Ash that apparently just can't be changed_ , he thinks to himself wryly. "Bonnie, do you understand? I need you to get to safety," he says aloud instead, his voice urgent.

Bonnie's confusion lasts only for a few moments before it turns to fierce stubbornness. "No!" she insists, glaring at him. "I can fight too!" Clemont opens his mouth to argue, but she speaks right over the top of him. "I want to help!"

Clemont closes his eyes. "I know, Bonnie, but please. I can't – I can't have anything happen to you as well."

Maybe there's enough truth ringing in his own words that she hears, because all of a sudden Bonnie darts forward and wraps her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Go get 'em, bro!" she whispers fiercely in his ear. "Good luck!" With that, Bonnie lets go of him and darts off behind him, heading towards the stairs at the back of the Gym.

"You really think you can beat the four of us all on your own?" Meowth taunts from behind him.

Clemont turns back to face Team Rocket, pushing his glasses up to sit more securely on his nose. "There's no way that I'll stand back and let you steal other people's Pokémon!" he replies, although his attention is on the machine under Meowth's feet. _Destroying that machine is still the best way to stop them controlling all of our Pokémon. There's no guarantee that destroying it will bring Ash back to normal, but at least they won't be able to control him anymore._

Unfortunately, to get to the machine and destroy it, he'll have to get past Ash and his own Pokémon, not to mention Team Rocket themselves. _I only have Bunnelby on my side, and he's already exhausted from all the Gym battles Ash had earlier. It would be better if I could avoid battling where I can…_

"So, let's battle then!" Ash calls. Pikachu leaps down from the robot's shoulder with an enthusiastic "Pika!", looking ready to fight. Bunnelby follows Pikachu's lead, adopting a battle-ready stance.

"Wait!" Clemont interrupts. There's one last thing he can try, even if it is a wild gamble. "Activate the Master Recognition Battle mode!" _If Team Rocket changed his programming, then maybe I can_ re _program him… or at least tell him to shut down for now. I'm sorry, Ash. I only ever wanted to treat you like a person, but this might be the only way!_

Ash folds his arms across his chest and Pikachu mimics the pose in front of him. "Activating that requires the voice code," he tells Clemont, seemingly unimpressed.

 _I have a bad feeling about this._ "I know! Um – wasn't it something like –" Clemont wracks his brain frantically. _Come on, come on, what was it…?_ "Sandwich!" he finishes triumphantly.

"Nope," is Ash's deadpan response.

Clemont blinks, taken aback. "What do you mean, 'nope'?!"

Ash shrugs. "That's not the correct code. Sorry."

Clemont suddenly remembers the locked file he'd tried to access all those months ago and the voice code denial he'd gotten back then too. _Not this again!_ he groans inwardly. "I'm telling you, it's 'sandwich'!" he complains. "That's what I set it as!"

"Nope." Ash tilts his head to the side, still looking bored. "If you don't have the code, you can't activate that mode. We can still battle, though."

Clemont huffs a laugh – of _course_ Ash still wants to battle anyway – and throws his hands up in frustration. "Ash, come on! Since when do you ever do anything according to your code?!" Ever since Ash had opened his eyes, ever since their first battle here in the Gym, Ash has been acting outside anything that Clemont ever programmed into his software. "Why now, of all times?!"

 _Something_ flickers in Ash's expression, but it's gone before Clemont barely has a chance to catch a glimpse. The robot sighs. "Can we battle now?" Without waiting for a response, Ash calls, "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" and Pikachu leaps into the air, readying lightning to strike.

 _Just as I thought!_ "Bunnelby! Use your ears to throw up sand and block it!" he calls. The Thunderbolt slams into the sand and discharges with an explosion that sends smoke and sand flying everywhere, forcing Clemont to shield his face with an arm. When the smoke clears, both Bunnelby and Pikachu are still standing strong. "Alright! Now it's our turn! Dig!"

Bunnelby dives underground with a sharp cry, disappearing in moments. Pikachu looks around wildly, trying to spot where the other Pokémon will resurface. Ash's eyes flick over the ground between Pikachu and Clemont and orders, "Pikachu, run! Let's confuse it with speed!"

Clemont allows himself a grin as Pikachu starts to dart around the battlefield. Pikachu is fast, faster than all of Clemont's Pokémon save Heliolisk, but that won't put a halt to Clemont's plan. Across the field, Ash is frowning, having noticed the smirk on Clemont's face. "What makes you think we're after Pikachu?" Clemont asks. "Bunnelby, now! Destroy Team Rocket's machine!"

"What?!" Team Rocket exclaims in unison, looking at the ground under their feet. "Hey, that's not fair!"

"Heliolisk! Bulldoze!"

 _What?!_ Clemont thinks in shock as Heliolisk slams a foot down on the ground at Ash's command, sending shockwaves coursing through the ground. Bunnelby is tossed from the ground with a cry, sailing into the air with the force of the attack.

"Now, Pikachu!" Ash calls. "Electro Ball!"

Clemont's eyes widen as a ball of lightning begins to gather at Pikachu's tail as the small Pokémon leaps up into the air after Bunnelby. _Electro Ball! Pikachu knows a high-level move like that?!_ is followed quickly by the realisation that _Bunnelby can't dodge an Electro Ball in mid-air_. "Bunnelby!" he cries, heart in his mouth. Clemont isn't sure if Bunnelby has enough health left to take a hit _that_ strong.

Luck is on Clemont's side for a change, however. Pikachu's leap is off-balance thanks to the ground still quaking from Heliolisk's Bulldoze when he jumped. The Electro Ball narrowly misses Bunnelby and slams into the ceiling instead, sending pieces of concrete raining down. "Bunnelby, are you alright?" he calls out as his Pokémon lands.

"Bun!" Bunnelby calls back, raising a paw. Clemont breathes a sigh of relief. _That was close!_

More to the point, what is Ash _doing?!_ That Bulldoze hadn't been anything Team Rocket had commanded, not when they'd been panicking so much. That had been _Ash_ – except Ash has never tried to cheat in a Pokémon battle before. "Hey!" Clemont yells, suddenly angry. "Two against one is cheating!" What have they _done_ to his robot's code to mess it up so badly? If there is anything Ash takes completely seriously, it was Pokémon battles.

"What?" Ash replies, sounding confused.

"You can't use both Heliolisk and Pikachu!" Clemont scolds, hands on hips. Bunnelby punctuates this statement with an emphatic "Bun!". "This isn't a double battle, so two on one is against the rules of this Gym! Aren't you supposed to be a Lumiose Gym Leader?!"

"I…" Ash looks away, a crease forming between his eyes as he frowns. "…Gym Leader…" The robot touches a hand to his temple and winces. "I… I am, aren't I…?" Clemont's heart leaps as the red glow of Ash's eyes flickers and dims slightly. "I'm… the Gym Leader robot… of Lumiose Gym…"

"Yes! That's right!" Clemont says encouragingly, hardly daring to hope. Ash doesn't seem to hear him, however; the robot has turned his head to look at Magneton and Heliolisk.

"The challenger's right," Ash tells the two Pokémon. "You guys… I can't battle with all of you at once, sorry. It's against the rules of this Gym."

"Rules, smules! Who cares?" Jessie interrupts, flapping a hand at the robot.

"That's right!" her partner adds. "All you have to do is beat that glasses-wearing twerp over there and then you don't have to worry about any of those silly Gym rules!"

However, it seems that Ash isn't really paying attention to Team Rocket at the moment either as he unclips the two Pokéballs on his belt and holds them out. "Magneton, Heliolisk, return!" Twin beams of light shoot out and return the two Pokémon to their Pokéballs despite Team Rocket's protests. Ash continues to pay no attention to any of them, directing an apologetic look at the Pokéballs in his hands. "Sorry guys, maybe next time. Pikachu's got this one."

With Heliolisk and Magneton safely back in their Pokéballs and out of reach of the waves from Team Rocket's machine, Clemont no longer needs to worry about having to battle them as well. However, the relief that his friends are safe pales in comparison to the giddy realisation that the Ash he knows is definitely still hiding somewhere amongst all the changes Team Rocket has made to his code – the Ash who loves to battle; the Ash who cares for his Pokémon; the Ash who loves being a Gym Leader but still wants to travel around Kalos and become a Pokémon Master.

Ash, who still hasn't given up fighting, even when he's helpless against his own programming, because Ash from Pallet Town doesn't give up until the very end.

 _His_ Ash.

 _I have to get him to remember who he is!_

Across the field and oblivious to Clemont's thoughts, Ash continues to look puzzled as his still-red eyes flick between the two Pokéballs in his hand and Pikachu standing in front of him. "Hang on, I've only got two Pokéballs… Pikachu, where's your Pokéball?"

Pikachu twists around to look up at Ash and shakes his head. "Pikachuuu."

"You don't have one?" Ash replies, looking even more confused. "Then… you're not my Pokémon?"

"Pika! Pikapi pikachu!" Pikachu replies, waving his paws around emphatically. For once, it seems like Ash doesn't understand what the electric Pokémon is trying to tell him, if the robot's continued confusion is any indication.

"That's right, Pikachu isn't your Pokémon. He's your friend." Ash's head jerks up at the sound of Clemont's voice, finally registering that Clemont is still standing there. Clemont persists, flinging an accusing finger towards Team Rocket, who jump back in surprise. "You rescued him when he was injured by those three thieves over there! Don't you remember?!"

"I…" Ash trails off as he puts a hand to his temple again and squeezes his eyes shut. "I don't…" He trails off again, shaking his head like he's trying to clear it.

"Ash, can't you see?" Clemont pleads. "This isn't you!" He moves forward, wanting to offer Ash comfort as the robot clutches at his head because Clemont never wants to see Ash scared or in pain _ever again_. Before he can get more than a few steps, however, Pikachu jumps between them with an angry cry. Red eyes glow fiercely as sparks fly from Pikachu's cheeks, the electric Pokémon warning Clemont not to come closer. Clemont backs off, his hands held placatingly in the air as Bunnelby jumps in front of him protectively. Pikachu eyes him suspiciously as he moves away and calls a concerned "Pikapi?" over his shoulder. Clemont decides to try a different tactic.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Huh?" Ash looks up at Clemont through his fingers. The red glow behind them is even dimmer than it was before, eye colour flickering haphazardly like a broken light bulb between crimson red and Ash's own warm brown. _Come on, Ash! Keep on fighting! I know you're in there!_ "You're…" Ash hesitates, eyes unfocusing in that peculiar way they do that always means Ash is accessing his memory banks. "You're… also a Gym Leader… of Lumiose Gym?" The robot ponders this for a few seconds, his eye colour still wavering back and forth. _Red. Brown. Red. Brown._ "That means… you're the one who made me?"

 _I may have built you, Ash, but you made yourself all on your own._ "I'm more than that!" The force with which the words burst out of Clemont surprises him, but he's _so close_. _Come on, Ash, please!_ "I'm your friend!" he declares, hand splayed across his chest. "We're _family!_ Please, Ash! Please remember!"

Ash squeezes his eyes shut again at Clemont's begging and buries his face in his hands, starting to shake. Although Clemont can't see Ash's eyes anymore, he knows that right now they are flicking between frozen red and warm brown with every rapid beat of Clemont's heart that he can feel under his fingertips. _I won't give up until you remember us!_

There's a loud snort from behind Ash. "Oh please, spare me the mushy talk!" Jessie says derisively. "Robo-twerp, finish him off already!"

Clemont flinches at the direct order, but Ash doesn't move to obey the way that he would have only a few minutes ago. A frown crosses the Rocket member's face and she turns to her companions with a scowl. "Why isn't he doing anything?"

Her partner presses a few buttons on the screen in his hand, frowning at whatever data it reveals. "I don't know. Everything looks like it should be working…"

"Well, obviously it's not!" she complains. "Maybe it's just broken. Do something!"

"If it's broken, then there's not much I can do…" James mutters, quietly enough that Jessie doesn't hear him. He turns to Meowth. "Alright, let's increase the radio waves!"

"Roger that!" Meowth says cheerfully, twisting the dial on the wave-emitting machine even further. Ash immediately claps both hands over his ears and hunches even further in upon himself. Every shaky, agonised gasp that escapes the robot tears at Clemont's heart. _Not again, not again, not again!_

Ash's cries of pain are echoed by Pikachu, still sitting at his feet. The electric Pokémon's ears are pressed flat against his head, but Pikachu still manages to call out a concerned "Pikapi!" as Ash sinks to his knees beside him.

"Ash!" Clemont cries, dashing forward. A flash of lightning that nearly strikes his foot has both Bunnelby and himself stumbling back almost immediately. Pikachu's back is pressed hard against Ash's leg, red eyes narrowed almost to slits as the Pokémon lets out a high-pitched whine. Lightning flails indiscriminately around, Pikachu apparently determined to make sure absolutely no-one can come near his friend.

Clemont's hands hurt from how tightly his fists are clenched. He whirls on Team Rocket. "Stop it!" he yells in outrage, echoed closely by Bunnelby. "Can't you see you're hurting them? _STOP IT!_ "

"Friends…" Ash's voice is barely a croaky whisper, but it cuts straight across the angry retort Team Rocket look set to make. It wouldn't matter even if they _did_ say anything; all of Clemont's attention is now locked on the his robot, still kneeling on the ground.

Ash's head is bowed, staring down at the ground like there's nothing else in the world that catches his attention. "Friends…" he repeats, voice still scratchy and painful but gaining in volume, "…are like – like family that –" He breaks off with a gasp, a shudder wracking his body before he continues, "– that you can… choose…?" Ash's voice raises higher questioningly at the end, as though he's not sure of the meaning of the words he's saying. He looks up and meets Clemont's gaze with eyes red and no longer flickering – but also no longer blank and dull. Awareness is slowly rising in the depths of crimson. "People… that you know and, and trust?"

 _'Friends are like family that you can choose.'_

 _'So we're both, right? Friends_ and _family?'_

Clemont's lips part in a trembling smile; he can feel the burn of relieved tears in the corners of his eyes. _There's my Ash._ However, now isn't the time to be crying – later, when Ash and Pikachu are safe and Team Rocket is gone, _that's_ when he can let out all the fear and the worry that's been building up inside him. He's fairly sure that Ash won't mind if Clemont cries all over him after all of this, no matter how embarrassed Clemont feels about it. "They help you and you help them," he replies, quoting Bonnie from that day long ago in the flower garden.

"And…" Ash tilts his head to the side, one hand dropping from his face to rest on top of Pikachu's head. Pikachu turns under the robot's hand, foregoing lightning in favour of burying his face against Ash's thigh. "We're friends?"

 _'So we're both, right? Friends_ and _family?'_

 _'Of course!'_

"Always, Ash," Clemont replies truthfully, his smile growing joyful. "We'll _always_ be friends no matter what." Beside him, Bunnelby makes a noise of agreement and the corner of Ash's mouth twitches up into that almost-smile from before.

"Hey, stop messing with our robot!" Meowth cuts in, annoyed.

"Yeah! Inkay, Psybeam!" James orders.

"Mud Shot!" Clemont counters, Bunnelby swiftly leaping into the air to launch the attack. Mud and psychic energy collide in an explosion that sends smoke billowing across the entire Gym.

"Argh, you're really starting to get on my nerves!" Jessie growls with a stamp of her foot. "Wobbuffet! Get in there and make yourself useful!"

The blue Pokémon hurries forward, arms flailing. Clemont spares a quick glance towards Ash and Pikachu, but neither of them seem in any state to be battling. _That just leaves these three and that wretched machine to deal with_ , he thinks, eyeing the new arrival. _From what I saw of Ash's Gym battle with them, Wobbuffet doesn't have any offensive moves; it'll wait for us to make the first move._ His gaze shifts to Bunnelby beside him standing ready to battle, but he can see the signs of exhaustion in the lines of the small Pokémon's body and the way Bunnelby is breathing heavily. _Bunnelby's getting tired, though. I don't know if it'll be able to dodge an attack from Inkay. I guess the only option now is to attack first and take out Inkay before Wobbuffet can start deflecting our attacks…_

"Bunnelby, please use Mud Shot!" Clemont calls.

"Wobbuffet! Reflect it straight back at them!" Jessie counters.

The familiar rainbow barrier of light begins to swirl over Wobbuffet's body, growing faster than Bunnelby can form his own attack. Clemont tenses. _Here it comes!_

"Hey!" calls a voice, right before something small and round and red smacks into Wobbuffet's head and bounces off, rolling to a stop at Jessie's feet. She stares. Wobbuffet blinks, putting an arm to his head in confusion.

It's an apple.

"What – " she starts to ask, but the rainbow shine of Mirror Coat is already melting away from Wobbuffet's form, the blue Pokémon unable to maintain concentration after being clonked on the head. Bunnelby's Mud Shot slams into Inkay, driving the squid-like Pokémon backwards. Team Rocket cough loudly as smoke surrounds their side of the field.

"Yes!" cheers Clemont, although he knows that Bunnelby's attacks have grown weaker as he gets more tired and thus that Mud Shot is unlikely to have knocked Inkay out.

"Wait, what happened?!" Jessie demands, trying to clear the smoke away from her coughing companions with angry swipes of her arms. "Wobbuffet, why didn't you block that attack?!"

"Wobuh!" Wobbuffet picks up the wayward apple and holds it out to Jessie, an apologetic look on the Pokémon's face. Jessie snatches the fruit from his outstretched paw, looking furious and ready to unleash that fury on _someone_ with a sharp word – except she doesn't get the chance, because another apple sails through the air and collides with her face before the Team Rocket member even gets a chance to open her mouth.

Clemont traces the apple's flight path back towards the top of the stands behind Team Rocket and finds Bonnie waving at him cheerfully from the top step. "Bonnie!" he calls out, relieved to see her at last. He'd been worried she had gotten lost. 

_"Bonnie… There's something I need you to do…"_

 _Bonnie moves closer so that she can hear him better. "What is it, Clemont?"_

 _"We need to destroy that machine to stop Team Rocket being able to control Ash, Pikachu and the other Pokémon," he explains, glancing quickly towards Team Rocket to make sure they can't hear him. Surprisingly, Ash is watching them as he scratches Pikachu under the chin, but the robot says nothing and Clemont quickly averts his gaze, not wanting to see those glowing red eyes any more than he must. "I don't think Bunnelby and I will be able to get anywhere near it though. I need you to make a diversion and distract them."_

 _His little sister nods determinedly. "I'll do it! What do you need me to do?"_

 _"If you head back up the stairs towards our rooms, there's a turn-off halfway up that leads to some maitenance hallways that run around the Gym," Clemont tells her, quickly drawing a map out in the sand. "Go down the one on the right; there should be a door about two thirds of the way down that will bring you out right behind Team Rocket, at the top of the stands. See if you can distract them once you're up there, and Bunnelby and I can destroy that terrible machine while they're distracted._

 _Bonnie studies the hastily scribbled map for a few moments, blue eyes serious. Clemont reaches out and rests a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention. "There are lots of risks, so please be careful," he warns her. "If things start getting dangerous, I want you to get to safety, alright? Promise me that you will."_

 _"But, Clemont – "_

 _"Please."_

 _Maybe she hears the tremor in his voice, or feels the way that his hand trembles upon her shoulder; either way, she gives in. "Okay, I promise."_

 _Clemont releases a breath he hadn't even realised that he was holding. "Thanks, Bonnie. Let's do our best!"_

 _"Yeah!" Bonnie agrees, placing a hand over her heart. "Leave it to me, bro!"_

 _Ash finally grows bored of waiting for them to finish their whispered conversation and calls for them to hurry up, directing Team Rocket's attention towards the sibling duo as well. It's time to put their plan into action._

 _"Okay, let's pretend you're leaving for now, okay?" Clemont whispers, before raising his voice and telling Bonnie to get to safety._

"Sorry it took me so long, Clemont!" she calls back, hands cupped around her mouth to make her voice carry. "I had to make a detour!" He's about to ask, _what detour_ , when her hands disappear into the pouch at her hip and emerge clutching two shiny red apples that he vaguely recalls seeing on their kitchen bench earlier that morning – _was it only this morning that everything was normal?_ he wonders briefly. _It feels like days have gone by._

"Ah! Jessie!" James exclaims worriedly, noting his teammate's shoulders shaking as he moves cautiously towards her. "Are you alright?"

He reaches out a hand to touch her shoulder, but regrets it when she turns around with a dark glower on her face and an aura of sheer fury that burns brighter than the red mark on her forehead. James – although he will deny it to his grave – all but shrieks a high-pitched "Eeeeeek!" and leaps backwards, stumbling against Meowth.

"Uh oh! Jessie's on the warpath!" Meowth exclaims, clutching onto James – whether out of concern for keeping his friend upright or out of fear for his life is unclear.

While the two male members of Team Rocket vie for position behind each other, Clemont and Bonnie watch in mute fascination as fingernails dig tightly into the apple in Jessie's hand, making the skin dimple, before the whole apple simply shatters into pieces. "How _dare you_ ," she growls, dropping the ruined apple to the ground. Clemont takes an instinctive step back as the redhead clenches her hands into fists. "How dare you ruin this beautiful face!"

Bonnie looks taken aback for a second before she pokes her tongue out in response. "Nyah~"

"Why, you –" Jessie starts angrily, before cutting off with an 'Ack!' as another apple comes flying down.

"That's for hurting Ash and Pikachu!" Bonnie calls. Clemont's not sure how much his little sister saw of his exchange with Ash while she was looting their fruit bowl and sneaking around the back of the Gym, but it's not hard to see that Ash is still in pain when he and Pikachu are still huddled together on the ground.

Another apple sails down – Clemont's impressed with Bonnie's aim – and manages to clonk James in the head as well, drawing a surprised 'Ouch!' from the man. "And that one is for Magneton and Heliolisk!" Bonnie declares.

More fruit begins to rain down upon the hapless trio, who begin to panic as they dance around trying to avoid being hit. Wobbuffet tries to take shelter behind Jessie, but she pushes him out in front of her with a furious "Don't hide behind me! Deflect them or something!"

"Wobbahhhhhh~" Wobbuffet wails, waving his arms emphatically. Ever loyal, the rainbow gleam of Counter begins to cover Wobbuffet's body despite the Pokémon's obvious misgivings. But an apple – _or an orange_ , Clemont notes, as one sails by – isn't a Pokémon move and thus can't be reflected by either Counter _or_ Mirror Coat. Wobbuffet's misgivings are soon proven right when yet another apple donks against his head. "Wobbuffet!" the Pokémon cries, giving up and simply settles for shielding his face with his arms as he heads for safer ground.

"Ah, geez, quit it already!" Jessie yells in exasperation. "Come on, James!" she orders over her shoulder as she starts dashing up the stairs towards Bonnie.

"How much fruit has that fun-sized twerpette _got_?" Clemont hears James mutter to himself. The flash of pride at Bonnie's handiwork is quickly swallowed by his fear for Bonnie's safety, especially when James calls "Let's go, Inkay!" as he follows his teammate up the stairs.

"Bonnie!" Clemont calls, half in fear and half in warning, but his little sister has already spotted the Team Rocket members making their way towards her. She dashes off across the walkway at the top of the stand, lobbing a pear over her shoulder for good measure.

"Inkay! Psybeam!" James calls. The blast of psychic energy thankfully misses Bonnie, much to Clemont's heartfelt relief, but the force of it slamming into the wall sends her tumbling over and out of Clemont's sight.

"Bonnie!" he yells, panicking. He starts towards the stairs but before he can get more than a few steps Bonnie pops up again from the wall she'd fallen behind and waves at him frantically.

"I'm ok! Now's your chance!" she calls, pointing before taking off again.

Clemont blinks and swings around to look at Team Rocket's wave-emitting machine and realises that Bonnie is _right_ – other than Meowth, the machine is wondrously, gloriously _unprotected_ now that Bonnie has drawn them all off.

A fierce grin spreads across his face. "Bunnelby, Mud Shot!" he orders. " _Destroy that machine!_ "

"Bun!" Bunnelby agrees, leaping into the air and firing off the balls of mud with a matching ferocity. The Mud Shot slams into the wave emitting machine, pummelling the metal until finally it caves in. There's a high-pitched screech like a whistling kettle that's followed by a flash of light that has Clemont and Bunnelby covering their eyes. With a loud blast of noise, the machine explodes, sending smoke and sand flying everywhere. The entire Gym shakes with the force of the explosion.

"Yes!" Clemont cheers loudly, hearing Bonnie echo him from halfway across the Gym. Finally, _finally_ , it's over.

Well, not completely over. They still need to deal with Team Rocket, but there's no longer any chance of Ash and Pikachu – or any of Clemont's electric Pokémon, now safe in their Pokéballs – being controlled against their will. He can hear Team Rocket wailing over the loss of their trump card and the rumbling of the ceiling above them; is vaguely aware of Bonnie making her way down the far steps to come and join them, but all Clemont has eyes for at the moment is the figure still sprawled on the ground, silence reigning where pained cries had ruled before.

There's no tension in the lines of Ash's body. Quite the opposite, in fact – Ash sits slumped like a puppet whose strings have been cut. The lack of any signs of _life_ is making Clemont nervous. What if something has gone wrong? What if destroying the machine wrecked something in Ash's code? Is Team Rocket's code still there? _What if, what if?_ Clemont moves closer until he is kneeling in front of the unresponsive robot, clutching to the hope in his heart that Ash will be okay.

"Ash?" he asks softly. His robot doesn't move and Clemont bites his lip in worry.

Although Ash is unresponsive, the sound of Clemont's voice is enough to snap Pikachu out of whatever daze the electric Pokémon is in. Pikachu uncurls from a tight ball, blinking owlishly at the world with black eyes that hold no trace of a red glow. "Pipika…?"

Clemont smiles, a small grin that grows and grows and grows with dawning joy. "Hi there, Pikachu."

Pikachu blinks and then suddenly seems to remember just who he is sitting beside. The electric Pokémon twists, shaking Ash's leg frantically. "Pikapi! Pikapi!"

Ash twitches. Pikachu raises his voice, demanding. "Pikapi!"

A full body shudder runs through the robot, a movement that Clemont recognises as something Ash usually does after a full system reboot. Ash must have shut down out of shock when the machine had blown up – or perhaps had shut _himself_ down to quarantine any dangerous code. Either way, Clemont's heart skips a beat when he hears a mumbled, "…kachu?"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaims in delight, leaping onto Ash's lap. There's a hesitant chuckle – Ash sounds out of breath and Clemont notices that he's moving more slowly than normal when Ash wraps his arms around Pikachu in a hug. Clemont can't help beaming at the two of them, tears of relief as much as joy threatening to fall as Pikachu makes happy noises at being reunited with his friend. He's so busy trying not to let the tears fall that he's caught off guard when Ash releases Pikachu and looks up.

"…Clemont?" Ash breathes. His eyes are a warm chocolate _brown_ and lit with that inner light that Ash seems to carry with him everywhere he goes. Clemont sniffs pathetically; the joyful smile spreading across Ash's face takes on a tinge of wild-eyed alarm. "Aw no, Clemont, it's okay, it's okay, _please_ don't be sad, I'm sorry." He reaches out for Clemont and tugs him into an embrace that Clemont falls into gratefully, relief suddenly sapping all of the remaining energy left in his body. He buries his face in the crook of Ash's neck and clutches the robot tightly. If it were anyone else, he'd worry he was hurting them – but Ash was, after all, a robot with a carbon-fibre skeleton and besides, Clemont doesn't think Ash really minds, given that he was hugging Clemont back just as tightly. Ash's shirt is soaking wet and Clemont realises he's lost his battle to fight back the tears now streaming down his cheeks. "It's okay, it's okay," Ash repeats over and over, rubbing Clemont's back soothingly. "You saved me, Clemont. _You saved me._ You and Bonnie saved me, and Pikachu. Thank you. Thank you _so much_ , being like that was…" Ash trails off and Clemont feels his friend shiver violently under his arms. "Please, don't be sad."

Clemont chokes back a sob as Pikachu reaches across Ash to pat his cheek, the electric mouse chirping his own thanks. "'M not sad," he mumbles. "These are happy tears. And of course we'd save you. Family, 'member? You and Pikachu both."

"Family," Ash repeats, the smile evident in his voice even if Clemont can't see Ash's expression from his place buried against his friend's shoulder. "My family." Ash draws back from the hug much too soon for Clemont's liking, but any protest dies in his throat when Ash grins brightly at him. The warmth and the care and the sheer amount of _life_ in his eyes – so different from the blank automaton he'd been before – makes Clemont's heart swell.

Ash glances at Pikachu, the electric Pokémon reclaiming his perch on Ash's shoulder. "We're really lucky, aren't we, Pikachu?" he asks, still beaming.

"Pika!" Pikachu agrees happily, nuzzling against the robot's cheek with a contented sound.

"Bun!" Bunnelby hops up beside Ash, peering up at him worriedly.

"Bunnelby!" Ash exclaims, reaching out to ruffle Bunnelby's ears. "You did great too! Thank you." Bunnelby ducks his head bashfully at the praise but still reaches out with one of his ears to return the high-five that Pikachu gives him. "All of you guys deserve a good rest after all this for all your hard work!" Ash continues, his eyes sparkling at the two Pokémon's interactions. "Hey, Clemont, where's Bonnie? I remember she was here before with you…"

Right on cue, they hear Bonnie's voice calling out to them as she jumps down the last of the steps and dashes towards them. "Clemont! Are you okay? Is Ash okay?!"

Clemont hastily rubs the tear tracks from his cheeks with his sleeve and finds his voice. "We're both fine, Bonnie!" he calls back. Beside him, Ash raises an arm and waves energetically at her as extra proof of Clemont's words. The two of them share a smile at Bonnie's answering whoop of glee, smiles which quickly turn to laughter. It feels good to laugh, the sound washing away the tension that has been sitting heavily in Clemont's gut ever since Team Rocket revealed themselves.

So caught up in the heady relief that Ash is alright – that he is _himself,_ as far as Clemont can tell without checking over Ash's code with a metaphorical fine-toothed comb – that Clemont almost misses the deep rumbling sound echoing around the Gym amongst the sound of their mirth. Laughter fading away, Clemont sits up straighter, looking for the source of the noise. "Did you hear that?"

When he glances towards Ash, he finds the robot frowning up at the roof of the Gym. "Hey, Clemont," Ash asks slowly. "Has the roof always been cracked like that?"

"What?" Clemont asks blankly, following Ash's line of sight. Sure enough, there are several large cracks beginning to race each other across the roof, spreading outwards from the large gouge left by Pikachu's Electro Ball earlier. Tired as he currently is, it takes Clemont a few seconds to piece together the fact that the rumbling he can hear is the sound of stone splintering high above them. It takes a few more seconds to realise that _the roof is cracking_ and that means _they're in danger._ "Bonnie –!"

With the ceiling's structural integrity compromised by the growing network of cracks, it can hold itself together no longer. With a sound like the crack of a whip, part of the ceiling starts to crumble.

Right above Bonnie, still running toward them.

 _Oh no... nononononoNO_ _ **NO –**_ " _BONNIE!_ " Clemont screams, surging to his feet in absolute horror as giant shards of stone fall towards his sister. He stumbles when he makes it to his feet and starts to run but he's too slow, _too slow_ , _Bonnie –!_

By some miracle, Ash is already up and sprinting towards Bonnie within an eye blink of the ceiling beginning to crumble, the robot's movements almost a blur. As Clemont draws on all the speed he can muster, he sees Ash _dive –_

 _–_ just as the broken pieces of ceiling crash into the ground, piling atop the spot where he'd seen Bonnie and Ash last –

"BONNIE! ASH!"

* * *

 _Uh oh D:_

 _Thanks for reading!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 _Nononononono please please be okay please be okay!_

He can't breathe he can't _breathehecan'tbreathe._ Clemont's breath catches in his throat and burns in his lungs like fire as he reaches the pile of rubble but he doesn't stop to catch his breath, only starts trying to tear at the rocks with his bare hands. He's dimly aware of Pikachu racing up behind him, sounding just as terrified as Clemont feels as the Pokémon calls out Ash and Bonnie's names before darting around the pile of rocks. Beside him, Bunnelby starts helping to move the smaller rocks, but there's still so many piled up that Clemont is already despairing of ever reaching Ash and Bonnie under there. _Where's the Aipom Arm, I don't have the strength to move any of these, oh my GOD, Bonnie – Ash –_

A stinging pain flares up in his ankle and he looks down to find that the culprit is Pikachu, the electric Pokémon having thwacked him with his tail. "Pikachu –" he starts to say frantically, but Pikachu raises his voice over the top of his panicked words.

"Pipika, pikapi pipikachu pika!" With that, Pikachu darts away, disappearing around the other side of the rubble. When Clemont doesn't immediately follow, Pikachu pokes his head around the edge, beckoning him frantically. "Pipika!"

"Bunnelby!" Bunnelby urges, bounding after the electric Pokémon. Clemont follows, his legs stumbling forward without conscious thought. As he rounds the corner, Pikachu heads straight for one of the smaller pieces of rubble that is strewn around the main wreckage. "Pipika!" the electric Pokémon says urgently, waving towards him and pointing towards a piece of the ceiling that is wedged up against another at an angle.

"Are they under there?" he asks Pikachu, heart hammering in his chest. Pikachu nods frantically. Clemont turns to the rock pile. "Bonnie? Ash?" he calls through the rubble, hardly daring to hope.

"Clemont!" The reply is muffled by a layer of stone, but Clemont is weak-kneed with relief at hearing Ash's voice. "We're okay, but we can't get out from under here!"

"Just hang on, I'll get you both out," he calls back. Clemont takes a deep breath and lets it out in a slow whoosh, trying to calm himself as he examines the rocks. The pieces are jammed together in such a way that there is probably a pocket of empty space for Ash and Bonnie to curl up in. _I think – no, that one will make these bits here fall down…_ _moving this one should work though._

"Bunnelby, Pikachu, can you help me with this?" Clemont asks, grabbing one end of the rock. The two Pokémon take up positions at the other end. "Alright, pull!" he commands and follows his own words with all of his strength. For long moments, the rock doesn't budge a single inch and Clemont fears that maybe it's wedged too tightly against the others. The three of them keep pulling, however, and soon enough the sound of grating rock heralds their success. Clemont pushes the rock away and lets it fall to the ground with a heavy _thump_ and a billowing cloud of dust.

He peers into the opening. Sure enough, there's a pocket of space between all the rubble just big enough for Ash and Bonnie to fit into. At first, Clemont can't see his sister at all and starts to panic again – _Ash said 'we' though, right?_ – before he spots a patch of blonde hair under Ash's arm. The robot is curled up protectively around Bonnie, using his own body as a shield from the falling pieces of ceiling.

Ash opens his eyes, blinking blearily until he notices Clemont leaning over them. A sheepish smile curves the corners of his mouth upwards. "Thanks, Clemont."

"Clemont!" Ash loosens his grip awkwardly, hiding a wince as Bonnie pokes her head out of his protective hold. As soon as Ash releases her, a dusty Bonnie is crawling out of their hidey-hole and throwing her arms around Clemont's waist and squeezing tightly. "You're alright!"

"Bonnie!" Clemont exclaims, wrapping her up in a watery return hug. If his grip is a little too tight, Bonnie doesn't complain; she merely presses her face against his chest. "Are you okay?" He can't stop his hands from shaking, nor his voice from trembling as the full realisation of what _could_ have just happened dawns on him.

"Yeah! I'm okay!" Bonnie says, beaming up at him. It doesn't stop him from checking her over for injuries of any kind, but much to Clemont's relief he doesn't find a single one. "It was scary, but Ash was with me and we knew you'd come get us!" She looks over her shoulder at Ash as he crawls carefully out of the rubble, her smile fading into concern. "I think Ash might be hurt though," she confides, just as aware of Ash's tendency to pretend he isn't injured as Clemont is. "He was covering me when all of those rocks fell down."

Clemont rests his forehead against his sister's for a moment – _I'm glad you're okay_ – before he looks over at Ash as he sprawls beside them. Dust streaks the robot's hair grey and there is a scrape riding high on Ash's cheekbone, letting a sliver of silver gleam through the skin under his eye. There's a few other tears in his clothing and several long scrapes across his arms, but otherwise Ash seems to be okay from what Clemont can see. He rests a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Ash? Are you hurt?"

Ash pulls a face. "I'm okay, but…" With a sigh, he holds out his right arm to Clemont. It must have been hidden before by Ash's body, because Clemont is sure he would have otherwise noticed one of Ash's hands bent at an entirely impossible angle, exposing the metal skeleton beneath the layer of artificial skin. Clemont winces in reflective sympathy at the sight. "I think I broke my hand again," Ash finishes unnecessarily, sounding sheepish. "Sorry, Clemont."

"There's no need to apologise," Clemont says absently, holding out a hand in a silent request for a closer look. Ash obliges, letting Clemont turn his arm this way and that to inspect the damage. The joint is fairly beaten up and the damage extends up Ash's entire arm, the metal warped almost to his elbow. However, it's not unsalvageable. "I can fix this," Clemont announces with relief. "As soon as we get back to my workshop." He doesn't drop Ash's hand, instead letting his fingers curl around the damaged area. There's warm skin and smooth metal beneath his fingertips and Clemont takes a moment to ground himself with the reassurance that his sister and his best friend are _alive_ and here safely with him. He exhales slowly and then out of curiosity asks, "Does it hurt?"

Ash wriggles his fingers in Clemont's grip, or at least tries to, since only one finger bothers to move. The robot's face scrunches up in thought. "Not really?" Ash offers. "It mostly just feels numb." There's a pause, punctuated by a dismayed groan.

Clemont sits bolt-upright. "What is it?" he asks anxiously. If Ash has other injuries…

Ash scrubs his working hand through his hair, shedding successions of dust. "I lost my hat," the robot replies, looking so disgruntled that Clemont can't help the snort of laughter that escapes him. _Trust Ash to worry about his hat when he should be worrying about himself!_

"Sorry," he amends when Ash shoots him a betrayed look. "It must have fallen off when you dived for Bonnie. If it's buried under all that rubble, we'll find it later, I promise."

Ash grins. "Thanks, Clemont!"

Clemont swallows. "I should be the one thanking _you_." Ash gives him a confused look, head tilting to the side. "You saved Bonnie," Clemont elaborates. "Thank you."

Ash shakes his head. "You don't need to thank me, that's just what family does, right? After all, you and Bonnie saved me too."

"Of course!" Bonnie chirps in reply; Clemont merely nods, finding it too hard to speak past the lump in his throat. His fingers stop rubbing unconscious circles against Ash's wrist in order to tighten their hold for a moment.

"Don't…" His voice fails him for a moment as he tries to force the words out. _They could have been crushed they could have_ died _I could have lost them both…!_ He takes a shaky breath and tries again. "Don't scare me like that again! Either of you!" Clemont looks down at his knees. "You can't… What would I do if both of you…" Bonnie and Ash exchange a solemn glance over Clemont's head, both of them able to feel the tremors running through him.

He is startled when arms wrap around him from both sides, both Bonnie and Ash hugging him close. "We're sorry for worrying you," Bonnie tells him contritely, Ash humming agreement deep in his throat.

"I know," Clemont sighs, hugging Bonnie closer and letting his head fall against Ash's shoulder, closing his eyes. Today's rollercoaster of emotions is starting to exhaust him; he feels so tired all of a sudden. "Just… please don't ever do that again."

"Well, isn't this just _peachy_ ," sneers a loud voice unexpectedly, making the three of them jump in surprise. It's not long before they spot Team Rocket standing poised on the top of the big pile of rubble behind them, much to Clemont's eternal dismay. He'd be happy to never see them ever again in his life.

"Team Rocket!" Ash exclaims, working hand curling into a fist. Beside him, Pikachu growls a challenge, looking ready to fight.

The three thieves ignore the glares being directed towards them. "It's fruitless to fight so prepare for trouble!" Jessie announces, flinging out a hand.

"This fabulous _pear_ will make it double!" James adds, also striking a dramatic pose.

"Alright, they know the rest!" Meowth cuts in, throwing his teammates off balance. As they recover, he points towards Clemont, Bonnie and Ash. "They're ripe for the pickin'!"

"You guys are _still_ here?" Bonnie says incredulously.

"You didn't _fig_ -et about us, did you?" James retorts, hands on hips.

Bonnie sighs loudly. "Can't you just go and bother someone else?"

Meowth snickers behind a paw. "Why, _orange_ you glad to see us?"

"No!" all three of them snap back angrily in an instant. Team Rocket just laughs in response.

"These guys are bananas," Ash deadpans, earning an incredulous stare from Clemont. The robot glances sideways to meet Clemont's gaze and the tiniest of smiles curls the edge of his mouth up, breaking the deadpan façade. Clemont snorts.

"Hey! Who are you calling bananas, twerp?!" James demands angrily.

"We're gonna pay you back for throwing all that fruit at us! Do you know how long it takes to get fruit juice out of my hair?!" Jessie seethes.

"An' for stealing our robot!" Meowth adds.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Inkay!"

Clemont is about to protest – Ash _isn't theirs!_ – but Ash beats him to the punch this time. "Quit talking about me like I'm just a _thing_!" he yells, leaping to his feet. "I have a name, and it's _Ash_! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" he orders, pointing towards Team Rocket.

"Pika!" Pikachu leaps forward, looking eager to settle the score as lightning crackles around the small body. " _CHUUUU!_ "

"Wobbuffet!" Jessie calls as the Thunderbolt lances down towards them. "Reflect it!"

"Ack!" Ash cries as the lightning rebounds off Wobbuffet straight back towards them. "Watch out, Pikachu!"

"Bunnelby, help Pikachu!" Clemont demands. Lacking time for an actual attack, Bunnelby grabs a piece of the rubble nearby with his ears and throws it into the path of the reflected Thunderbolt.

"Thanks, Bunnelby!" Ash calls over the resulting mid-air explosion, shielding his face with his good arm. The other hangs uselessly at his side.

"Bun!"

Bonnie helps haul Clemont to his feet as the smoke clears. He casts an eye towards the ceiling apprehensively, but it seems like nothing else is about to fall down for now. _I hope it stays that way!_

"Pikachu, you good to go?" Ash asks. Pikachu shakes the dust out of his fur and darts forwards, lively sparks dancing from his cheeks.

"Pika!" is the fierce response.

Clemont looks towards his own Pokémon. "How about you, Bunnelby?" he asks, concerned. It's clear Bunnelby is tired – going straight from a series of Gym battles into a fight against Pikachu and now Team Rocket without any kind of rest would drain any Pokémon's strength. But there is a resolute glint in Bunnelby's eye when the Pokémon turns back to Clemont and he thinks it unlikely that Bunnelby is going to back down now.

"Bun!" Bunnelby replies, determination in every line of his pose.

"Alright then, let's do our best!" Clemont replies, adjusting his glasses. Bunnelby gives him a quick nod and turns to face their opponents.

"Your best won't be enough!" James retorts. "Inkay, Psybeam!"

"Pikachu, Bunnelby, dodge it!" Ash and Clemont shout together. Pikachu and Bunnelby spring in opposite directions as the Psybeam slices through the ground between them. Bunnelby lands harder than Pikachu, so Ash takes the lead in their offensive. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Wobbuffet!"

This is Clemont's first time seeing Pikachu battle properly, uninjured and in his right mind. _Pikachu's speed is incredible_ , Clemont marvels, watching the electric Pokémon rush towards Wobbuffet. _Not only that, but considering that he's only battled with Ash twice before this, he and Ash are amazingly in sync._ Despite their inauspicious first meeting, Ash and Pikachu have managed to forge an incredibly close bond. The Pokémon who hadn't trusted Ash enough to let the robot pat him that first day now trusts Ash completely to direct him in the flow of battle.

"Counter it, Wobbuffet!" Jessie orders. For once, Pikachu's speed works against him – he's moving too fast now to put on the breaks in time. Clemont winces internally as Pikachu slams into Wobbuffet's barrier at full force and is thrown backwards with a cry of pain.

"Pikachu!" Ash yells, his voice full of worry as Pikachu goes sprawling. _That's my cue_ , Clemont thinks, remembering Ash's strategy from his earlier Gym battle against 'Jessilina'.

"Bunnelby, Mud Shot!" he calls. Bunnelby launches the Mud Shot towards Wobbuffet; just as Clemont expects, Wobbuffet is unable to switch his shields quickly enough and is knocked backwards with a surprised "Wobbuh!"

"Good job, Clemont!" Bonnie cheers from behind them. "Do your best, Pikachu and Bunnelby!"

James scowls. "Inkay, Tackle!"

"Watch out, Pikachu!" Ash yells as the squid Pokémon spins upside down and dives towards Pikachu, who is just getting to his feet. Unfortunately, the warning comes too late; Pikachu goes sprawling backwards. "Are you okay?"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu replies, quickly springing to his feet. Sparks fly from his cheeks.

"That's the spirit!" Ash cheers. "Alright, Thunderbolt!"

The Thunderbolt strikes both of Pikachu's targets dead on; Inkay takes the hit, wobbling in the air as it recovers from the electrical attack, but Wobbuffet manages to counter the Thunderbolt in time, sending it arching back towards them – only this time, the target is Bunnelby.

"Double Team!" Clemont counters quickly. A multitude of Bunnelbys burst into existence, surrounding Team Rocket's Pokémon. The redirected Thunderbolt strikes and misses the real Bunnelby, leaving Wobbuffet and Inkay looking around uncertainly at the remainder of the copies surrounding them.

"Pikachu, use Bunnelby's Double Team as cover! Quick Attack!" Ash calls. Wobbuffet and Inkay redouble their efforts to look everywhere at once, but it doesn't help. A blaze of sliver shoots out from the crowd of Bunnelby copies, smashing into Wobbuffet's side and sending the blue Pokémon flying.

"Yeah! That's the way!" Ash cheers. "Nice combo, Pikachu, Bunnelby!" Pikachu glances over his shoulder at Ash, grinning at him.

"Good job, Bunnelby," Clemont adds as the copies start to wink out, until only the real Bunnelby remains. "Are you okay?" Sustaining all of those Double Team clones must have been exhausting; Bunnelby is starting to breathe harder, but still faces down Team Rocket with just as much determination as before.

"Bun!"

 _I don't think I've ever seen Ash and Clemont battle_ together _before_ , Bonnie realises as she cheers on her brother and her friend. The two of them are always battling – as Gym Leaders against Gym challengers or against each other for training or just for fun – but until now it's always been facing one another, never side-by-side. _They're really in sync!_

Team Rocket are a study in frustration, having clearly not expected Ash and Clemont to be putting up such a strong fight. "Inkay, Psybeam!" James yells.

"Block it with Mud Shot!" Clemont commands.

Mud Shot slams into the Psybeam with a resounding _boom_ , resulting in an explosion that has both sides shielding their faces with their arms as sand and smoke billow past them. "Bunnelby, Dig!" Clemont calls over the gale, catching Ash's eye.

The smoke cloud clears, leaving behind the coughing thieves. "Argh, that's it!" Jessie yells. "Will you twerps just give up already?!"

"Not until you get out of our home and leave us alone!" Ash shouts back, echoed by noises of agreement from Pikachu and Bunnelby and a loud "Yeah!" from Bonnie behind them.

"Hey, where'd Bunnelby go?" Meowth asks suddenly, scanning the battlefield.

Clemont smirks. "Now, Bunnelby!"

With a loud cry, Bunnelby bursts out of the ground at Wobbuffet's feet, sending the blue Pokémon crashing into Inkay; the two Pokémon tumble high into the air. "Good work!" Clemont approves. "Now, toss Pikachu into the air after them!"

Despite not being privy to his plan beforehand, Ash and Pikachu pick up the flow of it immediately. Pikachu bounds towards his ally Pokemon and jumps into Bunnelby's ears, letting Bunnelby throw him after the other two Pokémon. Pikachu spins, his smaller form letting him cut through the air and catch up to Wobbuffet and Inkay within seconds. "Alright, Pikachu! Use Wobbuffet as a stepping stone and jump even higher!" Ash yells.

Pikachu flips in mid-air at Ash's command, landing on top of the hapless Wobbuffet's head and springing higher into the air, almost to the roof of the Gym itself. Ash grins. "Now, smack them down towards the ground with Tackle!" he calls.

It's a good strategy – gravity will multiply the damage from a mere Tackle ten-fold from a height like that – but Pikachu evidentially decides to go one better this time, as his tail starts to glow bright silver. Clemont's eyes widen.

"Whoa! Pikachu's tail is glowing!" Ash exclaims in surprise. "What is _that_?"

"That's Iron Tail!" Clemont breathes in awe. How in the world does Pikachu know an attack like _that?_

"Pikachu knows a Steel-type move?!" comes Bonnie's shocked voice from behind them.

"You know Iron Tail as well, huh? That's awesome!" Ash calls, eyes sparkling. "Alright then, _Iron Tail!_ "

Wobbuffet and Inkay look up at Pikachu above them. Pikachu grins down at them, the fierce shine of retribution in his eyes. " _CHUUUU…_ " The glow around his tail brightens until it shines like the midday sun. "PI _KA!_ " Pikachu spins around, slamming his tail into the two Team Rocket Pokémon with a fierce cry and sending them speeding back towards the ground.

The trio of Pokémon thieves shout in terror as their Pokémon hurtle towards them, but none of them manage to get out of the way of Wobbuffet and Inkay's flight path. All of Team Rocket – Pokémon and humans alike – disappear in the resulting explosion. The Gym quakes and Clemont hastily glances up again, but the roof still seems to be holding steady. Pikachu spins a few times as he drops towards the ground and lands lightly on his feet.

"That was _so_ cool, Pikachu!" Ash exclaims proudly. "I didn't know you knew an attack like that! Great job!"

"Pika!" Pikachu replies, practically lighting up with pleasure at Ash's praise. Bunnelby hops over to congratulate him as well, causing Pikachu to blush.

The smoke clears away to reveal a very battered Team Rocket sprawled in the wreckage of the Gym's floor. James groans as he sits up, aching in a million different places. Nearby, Jessie does the same thing, looking very bedraggled. Wobbuffet doesn't even try to sit up and just lets a very weak, "Wobbuffet…" escape instead.

"Guys, I think now might be time t'make a strategic retreat," Meowth says weakly.

"Trying to run away again, huh?" Ash cuts in. Team Rocket scrambles to their feet.

"Cowards!" Bonnie says with all the scorn her 8-year-old self can muster, coming up beside Clemont to stick her tongue out at them.

"Cowards and thieves!" Clemont adds, frowning. "How dare you try to steal Ash and our Pokémon!"

"Pika pika chu!"

"Bun!

Ash takes a step forward; Team Rocket seems to shrink backwards as they focus on him. "Pikachu, let's show them why they shouldn't mess with us!" he announces, frowning. "Thunderbolt!"

"Bunnelby, Mud Shot!" Clemont adds.

Pikachu and Bunnelby leap into the air together, both Pokémon throwing all of their feelings into their attacks.

"PIKA _CHUUUUUUUUUU!_ "

"BUNNELBY!"

Despite Team Rocket's flailing, the combined attack still hits them directly and results in a huge explosion. Bonnie clings to Clemont as the shockwaves roll past them, almost knocking the siblings off their feet. Beside them, Ash holds onto Pikachu and Bunnelby tightly to stop them being blown away as well.

No such luck for Team Rocket, who find themselves being blown out of a newly-created hole in the side of Prism Tower.

"Geez, why does this happen every time we come across that twerp and his Pikachu!" Jessie complains as they sail through the air.

"Pikachu really is a strong Pokémon though," James comments absently, distracted by the discovery of an apple flying along with them.

"We should definitely catch it for the Boss!" Meowth agrees. "Can you imagine how happy he'd be to have such a powerful Pokémon? We can't let some pesky twerp and his Pikachu get the better of us!"

"But for now –"

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again…!"

"Wobbuffet!" 

The strong winds die down. Bonnie cups her hands around her mouth. "And don't come back again!" she yells at the newly-created hole in the side of the Gym.

Ash laughs as he straightens up, Pikachu and Bunnelby still in his arms. "You said it, Bonnie!" He looks down at the two Pokémon he holds. "You both did an amazing job today," Ash tells them sincerely, a bright smile on his face. They both chime pleased responses, looking bashful at the praise.

"He's right, you did," Clemont tells them as he draws closer, Bonnie at his side. "Thank you for your help. You both deserve a nice long rest! Especially you, Bunnelby," he adds, reaching out to rub Bunnelby between his ears. "You must be exhausted."

"Bun…" Bunnelby admits, ears drooping. Clemont smiles, reaching out to take him from Ash. Pikachu takes the opportunity to climb up into his usual place on Ash's shoulder, sneezing as some of the dust matted in Ash's hair comes loose.

"Pikapiiii," Pikachu complains, scrunching his nose up. Ash just laughs in reply, reaching up to scratch Pikachu under his chin. The three of them chuckle as Pikachu's grumbles soon change into whines of happiness. " _Chaaaaaa!_ "

"Bunnelby, Pikachu, thank you!" Bonnie says, standing on tip-toe and holding onto Clemont with one hand to pat Bunnelby. Ash leans down when she turns to them so that Pikachu is level with Bonnie's face. Bonnie giggles as her fingers bury into short fur, the sight of Pikachu closing his eyes in bliss at the touch still a relatively new one.

Clemont sighs, all his energy finally deserting him. He's starting to feel a little light-headed too. Clemont resists the urge to laugh when he realises that the entire ordeal with Team Rocket definitely oversteps Ash's orders this morning to not overdo himself. "How about we all go and have a rest?" he suggests. "And food," he adds as Bonnie's stomach rumbles, belatedly remembering that they'd been about to go to lunch before all of this.

"But the Gym –" Ash protests.

Clemont casts an eye around his Gym, his mouth set in a rueful smile. "I think the Gym needs to close for a few days while all of the damage gets fixed," he tells Ash.

Ash looks about to protest but actually stops and takes stock of the ruined Gym around them. He sighs, shoulders slumping. "I guess you're right."

"Hey, cheer up!" Bonnie says, patting Ash on the arm sympathetically. "It'll be just like a vacation! Maybe we can go shopping again!"

The robot brightens at the thought of going outside again – and this time, _not_ in a massive rainstorm – but before he can reply, the same deep rumbling from before echoes around the Gym like an oncoming storm. The three of them freeze. "Don't tell me that's…" Ash says slowly, a note of fear in his voice as he and Clemont immediately look up at the ceiling of the Gym.

It's Clemont who spots the cracks rapidly spreading across the ceiling above them this time. _That last explosion and the hole it put in the wall of the Gym must have shaken the parts of the ceiling that were still unstable from the earlier damage!_ "Run! Quickly, this way!"

As he speaks, Clemont reaches out and snags Bonnie's hand. With Bunnelby tucked in the crook of his other arm, he pelts towards the entrance to the Gym, racing the ever-widening cracks. However, even with terror driving him on with every step and gasping breath, he's tired; and even in the best of health, he's not a very fast runner, so it's no surprise when Bonnie soon overtakes him and starts pulling _him_ along by the hand instead.

There's a booming _CRASH_ behind them as the roof finally succumbs to the cracks zig-zagging across it and starts to collapse. It only takes one stone to start an avalanche; they find themselves being chased by a veritable hailstorm of fragments of roof and stone.

"Come on, Clemont!" Bonnie yells, her voice high with fear. She tugs on his hand. "Run faster!"

Clemont doesn't need to glance over his shoulder to know that the collapsing roof is starting to gain on them. He's already running as fast as he can – his legs feel like jelly and his lungs are on fire – but he tries to speed up anyway, to run just that tiniest bit faster. The ground is quaking under their feet with every chunk of rock that smashes into the floor from above.

He stumbles.

 _Oh no –!_

Just as he is about to pitch over face-first, a hand reaches out and grabs the back of his hoodie and hauls him back onto his feet. "Watch out, Clemont!" Ash yells over the rumbling high overhead. "Hang in there, it's just a bit further!"

"Pika pipika!" Pikachu encourages from his place clinging to Ash's shoulder.

Clemont only has time to flash Ash and Pikachu the fleetest of grateful smiles before they are running again; Bonnie in the lead, pulling her brother along by the hand with Ash bringing up the rear, a steadying hand against Clemont's back.

They're only a few feet from the doors to the Gym when one of the larger fragments of ceiling crashes to the ground almost right on their heels, sending all of them flying forward. Clemont, Bonnie and Bunnelby go sprawling almost right to the Gym doors as a cloud of dust billows over their heads.

Slowly, the steady _boom-boom-boom_ of the collapsing ceiling dies down, until only the lingering sound is of trickling dust and rocks settling into place. Clemont sits up slowly, his entire body starting to ache. "Is –" He breaks off into a fit of coughing from all the dust in the air. "Is everyone alright?" he tries again when he finally manages to breathe without immediately coughing.

Bonnie is already pushing herself up from the ground. "I'm okay," she replies, and immediately falls victim to the same coughing fit that had stuck Clemont only moments before. Clemont rubs circles on her back as she splutters, wishing he had some water for them both to drink.

"We're… also okay… I think…" Ash groans from several feet away, rolling over onto his back. Pikachu drags himself up, flopping over Ash's stomach with an exhausted "Pika _chu_."

"How about you, Bunnelby?" Clemont asks, looking towards the Pokémon sprawled near their feet. Bunnelby mumbles a reply, eyes in spirals. Clemont's mouth twitches into a smile as he reaches for Bunnelby's Pokéball. "Thanks for all your hard work," he tells the exhausted Bunnelby, returning him to his Pokéball. "Please have a well-deserved rest."

He leans back on his hands with a sigh, surveying the damage done to his poor Gym. At least a third of the ceiling has crumbled now; a giant hole through which Clemont can see to the next floor above the Gym. _It's lucky that our apartment is actually several floors higher than the Gym,_ he muses. _Between the roof and the hole Team Rocket blew in the side of the Tower, it wouldn't be very safe to stay here otherwise._ Clemont spares another glance for his Gym and winces, a new thought occurring to him. _It's going to cost a lot to fix all of this… Maybe I can make something that can help us rebuild?_

Ash's gasp of pain pulls him immediately from his thoughts. "Ash?" he asks anxiously.

The robot is hunched over his knees, having finally found the energy to sit up. "I'm okay," Ash reassures him, rubbing at his temple. "I just sat up too..." Ash trails off, his eyes widening as his fingers still. Pikachu's ears prick up.

"Pikapi?"

" _Ow_ ," Ash mutters, squeezing his eyes shut. His fingers dig harder against his temples. "Maybe I should just…" He trails off again.

"Ash? What's wrong?" Clemont asks in concern, that horrible familiar feeling of dread sinking his stomach. He climbs to his feet, wincing as sore muscles stretch.

Ash crumples to the ground.

Clemont's eyes widen. "Ash!" He stumbles the short distance that separates them, collapsing carelessly to his knees beside his friend. He ignores the pain that jolts through his body at the harsh treatment. "Ash, what's wrong?!"

There's no reply. Ash doesn't react when Clemont calls out his name and shakes his shoulder. Nor does he respond when Bonnie drops down on Ash's other side and grabs his hand. Nor when Pikachu jumps onto Ash's chest, pulling desperately at the robot's shirt with a frantic litany of "Pikapi!"

 _No._ Clemont goes cold. _Not after everything we just went through._

"Ash, please, wake up," Bonnie pleads, holding Ash's hand to her chest with both of her own.

The feeling of dread solidifies into something heavy and sick in Clemont's chest. _No, please, Ash, you have to wake up._

"Pikapi!"

 _I can't – You can't –_

The crackle of electricity makes Clemont snap back to the present. "No, Pikachu!" He grabs Pikachu, holding him against his chest – and away from Ash – before the electric Pokémon can discharge a Thunderbolt to try and jolt Ash awake. Pikachu squirms, but Clemont hugs him to his chest, refusing to let go. "That won't work, Pikachu! If there's any damage to the insulation, you could end up overloading or melting some of his circuits by mistake! I know you want to help him but please, you can't restart his heart like that." _Oh, Ash._ Clemont buries his face against the top of Pikachu's head. "Ash has plenty of heart, Pikachu," he whispers against Pikachu's fur. _It might just be a clockwork heart, but yours is full of love and life. Please, you have to be okay._ "But you can't bring him back like that."

He hands a much more subdued Pikachu over to Bonnie, who hugs the electric Pokémon anxiously to her chest. Clemont down at Ash, unable to swallow past the lump in his throat. He'd thought Ash had looked like a discarded mannequin before, when he'd been recovering from Team Rocket's mind control, but that was _nothing_ compared to how lifeless and _broken_ Ash appears now. There's no light behind the usually warm brown eyes when Clemont thumbs back an eyelid, no hum of electricity and motors under his fingers when Clemont checks for a pulse in Ash's wrist. Ash has always run on the warm side, but without power to run his heating system, his skin is cooling under Clemont's touch.

 _'Gimme your hand, Clemont! My hands are warm enough for the two of us!'_

Clemont feels cold too.

Mechanically, Clemont checks Ash over for injuries. Ash had told him about his broken wrist, but now there is a collection of other dents scattered all over the robot's body, not to mention two serious gashes – one across a thigh, the other curving across Ash's back – that cut right through to the circuitry underneath. With every piece of damage that he discovers, Clemont's heart breaks just that little bit more.

He wants to weep as he pulls Ash gently onto his lap, resting Ash's head and shoulders against his legs. The robot is so still, so unnaturally quiet; Clemont wills him to wake up, to open his eyes and tell them he's alright. But the seconds pass one by one, and Ash doesn't move at all. One of Clemont's hands creeps up to rest against Ash's chest, right over his 'heart' – but there's no hum of power under his hand to signal that Ash's internal power source is running. There's no sign of _life_.

A spot of water blooms on Ash's cheek, followed almost immediately by another. One trails the other as they trace a path through the dust on the robot's face. Ash's features steadily become blurrier as more tears splash against his upturned face. Clemont realises belatedly that those tears are his own, rolling down his cheeks with abandon, but he can't stop them falling. He squeezes his eyes shut, fingers clenching in the material of Ash's shirt. _Ash…_

He hears Bonnie's breath hitch; hears the misery in Pikachu's voice as the electric Pokémon chokes out, "Pikapi…"

Clemont sobs, leaning over his broken friend as he cradles him in his arms.

This is what he's been afraid of. Ever since Ash had mentioned wanting to become a proper Trainer that travelled around Kalos, Clemont has carried a quiet terror of Ash getting irreparably hurt – hurt in a way that Clemont can't fix him, or in a place that Clemont can't reach him. He just hadn't expected it to happen here. Here, in Prism Tower, in Ash's _home_ , where he should have been safe. Where Clemont should have been able to protect him from danger.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'm so, so sorry, Ash!"

"Clemont…" Bonnie's voice is so small and scared. "Ash is… Ash is just sleeping… or something… right? If we charge him up… he'll be okay… won't he…?"

Unable to speak, another sob escapes Clemont as he shakes his head. As far as Clemont can see, the physical damage to Ash's body isn't enough to make Ash shut down like this – this was, after all, the same person who could break a wrist or fry the circuits in his hand without blinking an eye.

No, Clemont fears something much worse.

Although he had stopped Pikachu from unintentionally melting any of Ash's circuitry, there's a fairly strong chance that the damage has already been done much earlier. Clemont still has no real idea what Team Rocket had done to Ash when they'd forced new programming into his mind. Ash had fought it – fought _hard_ in a way that made Clemont proud of his friend – and could have even accidentally damaged himself in the process. If Ash's processing units or his memory banks are damaged…

"No…" Bonnie whispers, her breath catching. "No… Ash can't… he can't be just _gone_. Not Ash." The tears gathering in her eyes start to overflow. In her arms, Pikachu keens high in his throat as the electric Pokémon's own tears start to spill down his cheeks.

 _Ash can't be gone_ . The thought seems impossible.

"Pikapi…" Pikachu slips out of Bonnie's grasp, wriggling under Ash's limp arm to start pushing at the robot's side. "Pikapi? Pikapi!"

With every miserable cry, Pikachu's attempts grow weaker and weaker, until eventually he gives up and just clings to Ash's shirt. The distress in his voice as he cries out for Ash only makes the two siblings weep even harder, Bonnie curling up against Ash and Clemont as she clutches Ash's hand with both her own.

Bonnie sniffs. "You can fix him though, right bro?" she asks, voice wavering. "You made him, you can fix whatever's wrong with him now, right?"

Clemont's hands tremble where they rest against Ash's chest. "I created him, but –" He sniffles. "Ash grew all on his own. Most of who he is," it hurts too much to even consider correcting it to ' _was_ ', "is something he developed around anything I did originally. I don't know if I can – if I can fix something like that…"

"But…" Bonnie's takes on a fierce desperation. "It's not fair, he's _ours_. Ash is our friend. He's family! You have to fix him!" she finishes stubbornly despite the wetness still staining her cheeks.

He stares down at Ash. _Can_ he fix him? There's so many factors, so many variables and even if he fixes Ash physically… if he has to reprogram any part of him, what if it's not _their_ Ash that wakes up? Won't that make him just like Team Rocket, if he has to overwrite part of Ash's mind? He shudders, drawing a shaky breath.

Tears continue to roll down Clemont's cheeks; as they drip against Ash's face, they make it look like the robot is crying as well. If there is ever a robot who could work out how to cry, surely it would be Ash.

Clemont smiles a small, very watery smile. _Ash is_ Ash, he thinks, wiping away the tears on Ash's cheeks with his fingers. _As long as I can give him a path back, he'll find his way back to us somehow. I have to believe that._ He has to try. He _has_ to. Clemont owes it to Ash, and to himself and Bonnie to try his hardest to fix their robot. "You're right," he agrees tearily. He looks down at Ash again. "I swear that I'll do my best to fix you," he vows with a sniffle. "So please… please just rest for now. Thank you for _every_ thing." His voice breaks on the last word, sending tears cascading down his cheeks again. Bonnie presses closer against his side and he drapes an arm around his sister, letting her bury her face against his hoodie.

They stay like that – all of them huddled around their beloved robot – until the doors to the Gym behind them fly open and their father and Officer Jenny rush in. The newcomers skid to an immediate stop at the sight of them. However, while Officer Jenny gapes at the damage done to the Gym, Meyer has eyes only for his son and daughter.

"Thank goodness you're both alright!" he exclaims, relieved, but the relief soon fades when neither one of his children answer him. He hurries closer, leaving Officer Jenny behind as she starts to snap orders into a police radio.

"Clemont? Bonnie?" he asks gently, crouching down beside them. "We saw an explosion come from the side of Prism Tower. Are you both alright? What happened?"

As Clemont raises a tear-stained face to meet his father's gaze, his son's arms drawing a seemingly comatose Ash closer towards him, Meyer has a feeling that the answer is going to break his heart as well.

* * *

 _oh no he ded D:_

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 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15**_

In the end, it is Meyer who carries the battered shell of his son's robot up the stairs to the apartment where his children live. Clemont trudges silently along behind him with Bonnie in his arms, her face resting against her older brother's shoulder and her arms around his neck. Pikachu clings to his son's other shoulder, ears and tail drooping dispiritedly. The electric Pokémon's eyes are trained on Meyer's back. No, not on him, Meyer realises. On Ash, lying in his arms.

Neither Bonnie nor Clemont speak as they trail along in his wake, the silence broken only by Bonnie's sniffles and his son's laboured breathing. Meyer wonders if maybe the two of them just don't have the strength for words anymore, too exhausted by whatever events had transpired in the destruction of the Gym and Ash's current state. There is something very wrong with Ash at the moment. Clemont may be the genius at building things in their small family, but Meyer spends most of his waking hours repairing broken appliances – he didn't need to be a genius to know that somehow, Ash is broken as well. How and why Ash became this way – or even if Clemont thinks he could fix him – Meyer doesn't know. Neither Clemont nor Bonnie are able to talk about what had happened downstairs.

He is still trying to figure out how to carefully broach the topic again when he reaches the top of the stairs and discovers that the door to his son's apartment has been flung wide open. Meyer cautiously approaches the door and frowns at the pieces of fruit scattered across the entrance hallway. It's unlike Clemont to leave things untidy like that. Is there someone else in the apartment? Has there been a robbery of some kind?

"Papa?" There's an underscore of panic to Clemont's subdued question as Meyer starts to kneel down, intending to lay Ash down and then quickly make sure that the apartment is safe for Clemont and Bonnie to enter.

"The door was open, so I'm just going to check everything out first," Meyer tells him, voice calm. "To make sure things are safe." Clemont blinks at him for long moments as though he is contemplating the meaning of the words themselves – his son _must_ be tired to be this slow at responding – before directing a bleary gaze towards the open door and discarded fruit.

"…Oh." Clemont shakes his head minutely, his grip on Bonnie tightening. "Don't worry. I think that was Bonnie's doing."

Meyer frowns. That doesn't seem like Bonnie either, nor is it like his son to be so apathetic. _Whatever happened before Officer Jenny and I arrived seems to be turning into more and more of a mystery_ , he muses grimly. Still, despite his thoughts, Meyer nods in response to Clemont's words and straightens, carrying his son's robot inside. Clemont shuffles in after him with Bonnie and Pikachu.

"Could…" His son's voice is quiet. Clemont doesn't look at Ash. "Could you – could you put him in the workshop, please?" Bonnie sniffles against Clemont's shoulder.

"Of course," Meyer says gently. "While I do that, could you get the first aid kit for me, please?" He briefly regrets not bringing Ampharos along with him, but he had stayed behind to mind the shop while Meyer was gone.

Clemont stares at him blankly, uncomprehending in a way that worries Meyer because he's never seen his son act like this, nor seen him this wan and pale. _What in the world happened?!_ He tries to hide his concern; the last thing his children need is to see him panicking.

So instead Meyer simply repeats his request, keeping his voice calm. It seems as though the words get through this time, although apparently not the point behind them, because Clemont frowns. "A first aid kit? But that won't…" His son finally glances at Ash, a look of pain crossing over his face before his gaze slides away. "You can't fix him with that, Papa." Clemont stares at the floor. "I… I wish we could."

 _Oh, Clemont. I have every confidence that whatever is wrong with Ash, you will be able to fix him._ "I know, Clemont," he replies, voice still gentle. "It's not for Ash. It's for the two of you, in case either of you got injured."

"Oh," Clemont replies, realisation dawning late. "Sorry, yes, of course."

Clemont's hand makes an aborted movement towards his chest before Bonnie distracts him, saying tearfully, "I think I skinned my knee…"

Meyer watches as his son shakes his head quickly, rallying his thoughts for the sake of his younger sister before attempting a reassuring smile at Bonnie. It's fragile and watery, but Bonnie seems to take it at face value, resting her head back against Clemont's shoulder as her brother replies, "Alright, let's go get the first aid kit and take a look at it then, shall we?" The two of them shuffle slowly towards the kitchen. Once they disappear out of sight, Meyer sighs, his shoulders slumping as he turns towards the door to his son's workshop.

It's always a marvel, seeing the space in which his son pours his heart into all of the things he creates. Clemont's inventions are indeed amazing; none more so that the one currently lying in Meyer's arms. Looking for a clear space to set Ash down – every bench top is covered with tools and parts and half-finished projects – Meyer heads for the empty platform in the middle of the room. He lays Ash down gently on the platform, tucking limbs back into a more comfortable position the way he used to do for Clemont and Bonnie when they were younger. It occurs to him that such a thing is kind of unnecessary when it comes to Ash – after all, the boy is actually a robot; it isn't like he has blood circulation to get cut off. But his children treat Ash like he's just another human and Meyer can't bring himself to ever do anything less. He's _met_ Ash; he knows there's a bright and lively personality inside the robot that Clemont himself admits he had nothing to do with. Ash has made himself a person; treating him like an object, even when there isn't a shred of that same life left in him feels wrong, somehow.

So Meyer makes sure that Ash is laying comfortably on the platform before he goes in search of Clemont and Bonnie. He finds them in the kitchen, where Bonnie sits on a chair as Clemont dabs antiseptic cream on her knees. Pikachu is curled up in her lap, eyes sad despite Bonnie softly rubbing between the Pokémon's ears.

Clemont places the last band-aid – decorated with tiny Magnemite – on her knee with a flourish. "There you go!" he says, managing a somewhat cheerful tone. "As good as new!"

"Thanks, Clemont," Bonnie replies, a watery smile aimed at her brother. Clemont starts to pack away the band-aids and cream, only to startle when Meyer takes them from his hand.

"You sit there, Clemont," Meyer directs, pointing at an empty chair. "I noticed you had a few scrapes of your own that could use some attention." Clemont looks about to protest something along the lines of him being fine, but obviously thinks the better of it and gives in with a sigh. He takes a seat and rolls his sleeves up, offering his arms to Meyer for inspection. Meyer takes one look at the scratches and bruises scattered across his son's forearms and his badly-scraped palms and whistles long and low. "Clemont," he says seriously, looking his son in the eyes. "Can you tell me what happened now, please?"

Clemont swallows and looks away, that same flash of pain passing over his features. Bonnie hops down from her chair, moving closer to wrap a small hand around her brother's arm in support. Pikachu jumps from Bonnie's shoulder into Clemont's lap, curling up there and looking up at Clemont encouragingly. "We should tell Papa," Bonnie urges. "Maybe he can help Ash as well."

His son's shoulders slump as Clemont sighs. "Alright." One hand hesitantly rests on Pikachu's back as Clemont starts to speak. "Ash was running the Gym this morning because I was still getting over a cold…"

As Clemont, helped by Bonnie, relates the events of the day to him – the false Gym match; Team Rocket ( _Again! I thought Mega Blaziken and I ran them off before!_ Meyer thinks in frustration); their attempt to brainwash and then steal Ash and most of Clemont's Pokémon; his children's efforts to thwart their plan; and finally the destruction of the Gym – Meyer checks Clemont over for injuries. A cut hidden by his fringe; scraped hands from frantically trying to shift rock; singed hair along his arms from the force of a Thunderbolt (Pikachu looks guilty until Clemont reassures him that he doesn't blame him) and a myriad of other small scratches and bruises from a long and arduous battle make up the list, but Meyer suspects that the biggest wound is on his son's heart. His own heart aches for them both as Clemont's voice starts to crack as he nears the end of the story, his son very obviously holding back tears as he tries to explain about Ash collapsing but only managing a choked, "He wouldn't wake up, Papa." Bonnie isn't even trying to hold back her renewed tears.

Meyer can feel himself starting to tear up as he gathers his children in his arms. They cling to him, their fingers digging into his clothes as they tremble with the force of their sorrow. "Clemont, Bonnie, I'm so sorry," he says, voice thick as he clutches them to him just that little bit tighter. _I could have lost them as well._ "It must have been so scary for you." He tries not to dwell on that thought, considering that both of them are here, safe and relatively unharmed in his arms. _They'd_ lost a precious friend. "I'm sorry that Ash got hurt as well. I know he means a lot to you both."

"Things will be okay," he whispers, holding them close. "I know it doesn't seem like they will be right now, but I have faith in you, Clemont, that you'll be able to fix your friend."

Clemont sniffles, pressing his face closer against his father's shoulder. The three of them stay wrapped up in the hug for a long while, quiet, calming murmurs from Meyer punctuated every now and then with a sniffle or a hiccup from one of his children. Eventually, Clemont pulls back from the hug and raises his hands to rub the tears from his eyes. Bonnie remains pressed against his chest, but she turns her head slightly to watch her brother.

"Will you be alright?" Meyer asks his son. It breaks his heart to watch how Clemont hesitates for a moment at the question, the struggle to pretend to be strong and say that he'll be fine clear on his face. Honesty wins out over false reassurances though; Clemont closes his eyes and half-shakes his head, his shoulders hunching in a hopeless shrug. _I don't know._ Meyer sets a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. "It's alright to not be okay, Clemont," he tells the boy quietly. "Especially after everything that's happened." He looks to Bonnie when he sees her face peeking up at him as well. "The two of you should get some rest," he suggests. "Things will look a bit better after you've had a chance to sleep and recover."

Clemont's gaze shifts away, glancing over his shoulder – towards his workshop where Ash lies broken. His son hesitates for a moment, uncertainty and exhaustion warring with the frantic need to fix his friend, but finally Clemont sighs and nods. "Okay." He throws his arms around Meyer's neck, hugging him desperately tight for a moment. "Good night, Papa."

Meyer returns the embrace just as tightly, dropping a kiss onto his son's head before Clemont withdraws. Bonnie holds up her arms and proceeds to give an almost identically desperate hug, kissing his cheek as well. "Good night, Papa!"

"Good night, you two." Meyer watches as Clemont takes his sister's hand, leading her towards her room. He has a fair idea he'll find them both curled up in Clemont's bed later on, the way he used to find them on nights when thunder rumbled overhead. Pikachu jumps down from the chair and follows in their wake, catching up to his two children and climbing up to Bonnie's shoulder as the three of them round the doorway. A subdued, watery giggle echoes back into the kitchen. Meyer sighs, leaning against the kitchen bench and scrubbing his hands over his face.

 _My poor children…_ His shoulders slump now that he no longer has to put on a brave face for Clemont and Bonnie. _I wish I could fix all of this for you. I wish I could have been here when you needed me. Both of you are so young to be dealing with everything that happened today._ He sighs again. _I thought I'd dealt with that group of thieves but it seems they just don't know when to quit._ A hard glint appears in his eyes. _I won't forgive them for hurting Clemont and Bonnie – and Ash! – like this._ Meyer frowns at the still-open door of the apartment. _If I ever see them again…!_

/\/\/\

It's a very subdued breakfast the next morning.

Meyer is in the middle of scrambling eggs when the smell of cooking food lures one of his children out of bed and into the kitchen. Bonnie blinks at him for a few moments, all dishevelled hair and bleary eyes, before she wakes up enough to realise that the person cooking the food isn't her brother for once.

"Papa!" she exclaims, bounding over to wrap her arms around him tightly. Meyer takes a moment to move the pan off the stove before returning her hug just as tightly. She holds on just a bit longer than she normally would, the hug seeking comfort just as much as it is a greeting.

"Good morning," he greets Bonnie cheerfully when the hug loosens enough for him to pull back and take a look at her. The remnants of yesterday's tears still linger on her face and her smile isn't as bright or wide as it normally is when she replies, "Good morning, Papa!" but at the very least it is a genuine smile. Bonnie has always been a strong child – strong of thought and strong of heart.

Still, it breaks Meyer's heart to know that he can't help fix the cause of his childrens' sorrow.

"Breakfast will be ready in a minute," he tells her. Bonnie squeaks as Meyer's arms wrap around her, lifting her up and setting her on the kitchen counter beside him. He plants a kiss on her forehead, heart lightening at the giggle that escapes her. "Where's your brother?" Clemont usually gets up around the same time as his sister.

Bonnie's face falls and she glances away, shaking her head. He lets out a quiet breath; it's just as he thought then. He can't blame Clemont for not wanting to face the world after losing a beloved friend. Meyer nods, ruffling Bonnie's hair a bit to try and bring a smile to her face again. "That's okay. He'll come join us when he's ready," he tells her. "In the meantime, do you want to help me cook the eggs?"

She beams. "Sure!"

Meyer laughs as she scoots off the counter and hands her the spatula. "Excellent!" He surveys the kitchen. "Now, where do you keep the spices in here…?"

/\/\/\

Clemont lays awake in his bed, the quiet clatter of utensils and muffled voices from the kitchen filtering through the door that Bonnie has left open. Maybe she hopes that the smell of breakfast cooking will manage to entice her brother out of bed, but she may as well not have bothered. He doesn't feel like eating.

He doesn't feel like doing anything, really. The prospect of getting up and having to deal with everything, having to somehow function normally when he's just lost his best friend… he'd rather just lay here and stare numbly at the ceiling. Clemont can't even work up the energy to cry, all his tears spent last night. He just feels drained.

"Pipika?" Clemont doesn't turn his head at Pikachu's concerned call, nor does he move when Pikachu bounds up onto the bed beside him. "Pika pikachu!" the Pokémon exclaims, waving his arms towards the open door. _Breakfast is ready!_

Clemont makes no move to get up. He just continues to lay there, staring at the blurry ceiling. Pikachu watches him for a few moments before his ears and tail wilt, dropping the charade of enthusiasm. With a small sigh, Pikachu crawls on top of Clemont, jolting the boy out of his stupor. Clemont blinks down at Pikachu's blurred form as the Pokémon curls up on his chest, careful of the bruises Clemont had hidden from his father, ears drooping. "Chuuuuuuu…" Pikachu comments miserably.

"I miss him too," he whispers, sorrow finally rising above the numbness in his heart. Tears sting at the edge of his eyes again as he rests a hand on the small warm body curled over him. "I'm sorry, Pikachu."

He feels Pikachu nuzzle a cheek against his hand. The quiet comfort makes the sting in his eyes harder to ignore, and he pulls his hand away to sling an arm over his eyes before tears start to fall.

"I'm scared," he admits quietly. There's a weight on his chest that has nothing to do with Pikachu's presence. He'd lain awake for hours last night after Bonnie had finally fallen into a fitful sleep, staring at the ceiling as his mind chased unwanted thoughts around and around. Ash isn't human; Clemont knows there's a chance of fixing him. He promised Ash that he'd fix him, and he can, physically at least. But... he's scared. Scared that he won't be able to bring back whatever had made the robot 'Ash'. "If I can't fix him, then…"

The thought of his friend waking up with those horribly blank eyes –

Clemont shudders.

But he has to try, doesn't he? He'd promised. Besides, he can't just leave Ash lying in his workshop for eternity. Broken. Lifeless.

He shudders again. _I can't… I don't want to see him like that again._

"Pipika?"

Clemont peeks out from under his arm, managing to make out the look of concern on Pikachu's blurry features. He gives a watery chuckle, trying for a reassuring smile. Pikachu doesn't look convinced. Clemont gives a start as the Pokémon burrows closer, his arms closing hesitantly around the small form as he realises that Pikachu is trying to comfort him with a hug. Clemont buries his face against the soft fur. "Thank you," he whispers. "… If Ash was here, he'd probably be scolding me for moping around."

Pikachu makes a muffled agreeing sound, drawing another watery huff of amusement from Clemont. He scrubs an arm across his eyes and takes a deep breath, sitting up slowly. Pikachu climbs onto his shoulder as he reaches for his glasses. Settling them on his nose, he catches a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror across the room and winces at the sight, turning away. Judging by the sounds still floating in through the open door, his father and Bonnie are still having breakfast. Probably eating slower than normal in the hopes that he'll come out and join them.

He still doesn't feel hungry, but if he's going to fix Ash, he needs to keep his own strength up. With a sigh, Clemont gets to his feet, Pikachu still riding on his shoulder. "Guess we should go see what's for breakfast…"

"Pika!" Pikachu says encouragingly, patting the side of his head. The support from the small Pokémon is enough to get Clemont's feet finally moving, carrying him out of the room.

/\/\/\

Meyer breathes a quiet sigh of relief when Clemont finally shuffles into the room, though his son still looks as subdued as he did the day before. It's enough that he's up and moving, at least. Pikachu, riding on Clemont's shoulder, looks much livelier as he eyes the breakfast table with interest. "Clemont, good morning!"

"'Morning," Clemont mumbles, slumping into the seat beside his sister. Pikachu jumps from his shoulder down onto the table. Meyer picks out an apple from the fruit bowl and offers it to him, who accepts it happily and starts to munch away. He wishes he could cheer his son up with such a simple act as well, but he knows it won't be that easy.

Still, Meyer takes the initiative when it looks like his son isn't about to do anything but stare at the grain on the table. Scooping some food onto a plate, he sets it down in front of Clemont, startling the boy out of his morose thoughts. Clemont blinks at the plate for a few seconds – Meyer isn't sure if his son is tired or just distracted, but suspects it's a mixture of the two – before understanding lights his eyes. "Thanks, Papa," Clemont says, the small, tired smile he offers with his words abating Meyer's worry slightly.

He keeps up a small amount of chatter as he finishes off his own plate of food; Bonnie replies readily enough, but he can tell that Clemont is only half-listening at best because of the non-committal noises in response. His son is still listlessly pushing food around his plate – a habit Clemont only has when he's severely anxious about something – despite the fact that Meyer has made sure to include all his son's favourite foods on his plate. Meyer frowns into his coffee, unsure how to reassure Clemont that things will turn out alright. He still has absolute faith in his son's ability to fix his friend, but the shock of watching a dear friend collapse in front of him would be hard to get over.

He sighs quietly and glances towards his children again. _It would be better if they came and stayed with me while the Gym is being rebuilt_ , he muses, watching Pikachu nibble at his apple as his ears slanted back at the heavy atmosphere at the table. There's worry in the Pokémon's eyes when Pikachu looks at Clemont and Bonnie, which warms Meyer's heart a little under the worry weighing it down – he remembers well how Pikachu had been wary to even approach Clemont not all that long ago. It seemed that his son has won the guarded Pokémon's trust. _I'm not sure how stable the Gym is after sustaining all that damage. And I'd worry less if they were somewhere I could see them for the time being, at least until I can be sure that this 'Team Rocket' isn't going to be making yet another reappearance…_

Apple eaten, Pikachu sets the core down beside him and eyes the fruit bowl again. Meyer is just about to offer him another piece of fruit – there's a rather tempting Pecha berry on the side closest to him – when Pikachu's attention switches to Clemont's plate, and then to Clemont himself, before returning to the plate. Carefully, Pikachu reaches out and snatches a grape from the edge of the plate, eyeing Clemont to see if he's been noticed. Clemont remains oblivious to the food-thief – too lost in his own thoughts – and so Pikachu continues to pilfer food off the boy's plate, much to Meyer's quiet amusement. Bonnie catches on to the small Pokémon's antics fairly quickly, giggling quietly.

It's not until Clemont's fork clinks against the empty plate instead of food that his son is drawn out of his daze, blinking down at his plate in confusion until he catches sight of Pikachu, who is happily munching away on the other berries that had previously been on his plate. "…Are those mine?" Clemont asks, voice quiet but clearly bemused.

Pikachu's ears twitch wildly for a moment before they slant back in guilt, the small Pokémon looking down at the berry in his paws. "Pipika?" Pikachu says, offering the berry up to Clemont apologetically. Clemont's mouth curves into a smile – it's small, and somewhat tired, but it _is_ a smile – and gives Pikachu a quiet 'Thank you' when the Pokémon places it into his offered hand. His son stares at the berry in his palm for a moment before looking towards Pikachu again, who is watching him with a worried expression. Meyer watches as his son's shoulders slump slightly, some of the worry and tension plaguing him finally dissipating in the face of Pikachu's worry. Clemont tosses the berry into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before directing another soft smile – just a little bit wider this time – at Pikachu. "It's delicious, thank you," he tells Pikachu. Pikachu perks up, ears twitching happily. He offers another berry to Clemont, who huffs a small laugh and takes it.

To Meyer, that huff of laughter is the best sound that he's ever heard. He silently thanks Pikachu with all of his heart for managing to bring Clemont even the slightest bit out of the glum state he has been in. It seems the berry offerings have managed to kickstart his son's appetite as well, Clemont finally putting the food on his plate in his mouth rather than pushing it around aimlessly.

Things are finally looking up since last night, so it's a shame that Meyer will have to bring the mood down again eventually. There are some things that he and his children need to talk about that can't be put off for much longer, but he figures that putting it off for another few minutes can't hurt, not when Clemont is finally paying attention to the world around him and looking less like a walking ghost every time that Pikachu and Bonnie manage to make him smile or talk.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and so, when Bonnie and Clemont are almost finished eating, he pushes away his own empty plate and clears his throat. It draws the attention of all three at the table, who look at him curiously.

"I need to discuss some things with you," he tells them; a discussion, because Meyer has always tried to be truthful and explain his reasoning to his children, especially after they were left without their mother, and because he always tried to give them the chance to make their own decisions about things. The only thing he has never told them about is his double life as Blaziken Mask, because neither of his children deserve the worry about their father running around Lumiose City stopping criminals. He doesn't know what he'll do if they ever figure it out themselves and ask him directly. He hopes he never comes to having to make that decision.

Clemont looks slightly wary at his words, but Meyer plows on ahead. "I know that the events of yesterday were terrible…" All of his audience flinches, Pikachu's ears drooping sadly while his children glance down at the table, misery resurfacing in their feature. Meyer feels terrible for even having to remind them of something that hurt them so much, hates hurting them now once again while the wounds are still fresh. "…I know that your memories are painful, and you probably don't want to think about any of it," he continues, his voice gentle. "But you'll need to talk to Officer Jenny today about what happened, so that she can look into finding this 'Team Rocket'. I didn't think you'd be up to it yesterday, but it's best to talk to her about it while the memories are still fresh."

For long moments, there's silence as both his children stare at their plates. Meyer waits patiently for a response, willing to give them all the time they need. Finally, Clemont sighs and nods, meeting his father's eyes. "We'll – talk to her after breakfast, then," he replies, reluctance in every nuance of expression. "Bonnie?" he continues, turning to his sister. "Is that alright with you?"

Bless his daughter, who nods bravely, visibly fighting her own sadness to be strong for her brother and her broken friend. "Yeah. Let's do it!"

"Pika!" Pikachu volunteers, waving a hand. The two children look at Pikachu in surprise.

"You want to come too?" Clemont asks, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"Pika!" A vehement nod.

"Alright then, we'll all go and talk to Officer Jenny after breakfast," Clemont says. Amidst the sounds of agreement, only Meyer notices the half-glance his son shoots over his shoulder – towards his workshop, where Ash's body lies on the worktable.

"That's good to hear," Meyer says, choosing not to comment on the look. "Clemont, I had a quick look last night, but you'll need to check over the Gym's damages as well." It's only his son who flinches this time, his face bleaching an even paler tone than usual that makes Meyer straighten in alarm.

Before he can ask if Clemont is alright – which is a pointless question, really, because this entire morning is proof that Clemont is decidedly _not_ feeling alright – Clemont lets out a breath, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before he squares his shoulders, and nods. "Okay, I'll… I'll do that today as well."

Bless his son as well. Meyer has a very shrewd notion that Clemont doesn't want to be anywhere near his own Gym for the foreseeable future. Considering Clemont watched it be destroyed – and then destroy in turn his best friend – Meyer can't blame him, but it is something that Clemont, as the Gym Leader of this city, needs to work through sooner rather than later.

Perhaps that desire to be elsewhere will work in Meyer's favour for the next point he's about to bring up. He has a feeling it's yet another sensitive topic. "Actually, speaking of that," he begins casually, hating the way Clemont shrinks in on himself, "it brings me to the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I want you both to come and stay with me while the Gym is being repaired."

Across the table, Clemont goes rigid, his hand tightening on his fork until his knuckles are white. Meyer sees Bonnie shoot her brother a concerned glance out of the corner of his eye, but he keeps his attention on Clemont and continues in a calm voice as he lays out his reasons. "I didn't get to have a proper look at it last night, but the Gym took a lot of damage during your fight with Team Rocket. The ceiling has collapsed in a few places, not to mention the hole in the wall. There's a lot of cracks too, so I don't know how far the damage has spread, or how much is structural and how much simply cosmetic. Oh, and don't worry about challengers coming in, I put up a notice that the Gym was closed until further notice."

"Thank you," Clemont says, voice strained. "I forgot about that."

 _I don't blame you for that_ . "In any case, there's a chance that it's not safe to stay here. The Gym is only a few levels below here. It's only until the Gym is rebuilt and guaranteed to be stable again," he stresses. "Maybe only a month or so. And I want you both to stay with me for now also, because…" He sighs, holding his hands open entreatingly. "Because I'm your father, and I worry about you both."

"Papa…"

"Not just because of the danger with the Gym," he continues. "But… both of you were hurt yesterday – not just physically but also in your heart, with what happened to Ash yesterday... I don't think that you should be left to deal with that by yourselves."

There's a sniffle and a cry of "Papa!" and then suddenly Meyer finds his arms full of his children as they cling to him, faces buried against his shirt. He hugs them back fiercely, feeling their tears soak through his shirt and wishing once again that he could shield them from all the hurt they have had to endure.

As their tears subside back into sniffles, he relaxes his grip on them to give them room to move. "So?" he asks hopefully. "Will you come stay with me for a while?"

Clemont sits back, wiping a hand across his eyes hastily to rid himself of a few remaining tears. "No," he replies, voice cracking as he shakes his head, his eyes not meeting Meyer's. "I'm sorry, Papa, but no, I can't. I have to stay here, I have to… I have to fix him, Papa." Clemont sniffles, but finally looks up at his father, squaring his shoulders. "I can't leave him here. My workshop is here, and all the things I need to fix him… If I went home, I wouldn't be able to work on him for at least a month…! And I can't… I can't…." Clemont shudders. "I have to stay here and fix him, Papa. I can't leave him like that."

"Why not bring Ash with you?" Meyer asks, his voice gentle. He'd had a feeling Clemont would refuse for just that reason, and Meyer isn't sure Clemont can ever be convinced to change his mind about this. His son can be very stubborn about things when he set his mind to it. Meyer wasn't even sure if he had the heart to insist, after listening to the miserable desperation tinging Clemont's voice. How can he deny Clemont wanting to help his friend? "I don't mind him staying there as well."

Clemont is already shaking his head before Meyer finishes speaking. "No," he repeats, voice firmer. His shoulders are hunched as though he is waiting to be scolded, but he refuses to back down. "Most of the tools I need, we don't have at home, and I can't bring them with me because they're a part of my workshop. And Ash…" He glances away again, gathering his words. "Ash should wake up _here_ , because… well, because it's his _home_ ."

And really, what can Meyer say to that?

He lets out the breath he has been holding. "Okay," he says simply, reaching out and ruffling his son's hair.

Clemont blinks, looking equal parts pleased, incredulous and surprised as his shoulders start to lower. "'Okay'?" he repeats, as though the words do not make sense to him.

"Okay," Meyer confirms. "If that's the way you feel, then you can stay here – unless the reports say that the damage to the Gym is making the rest of the Tower unstable. You won't do Ash any good by getting yourself injured."

"I – thank you, Papa," Clemont says, his expression the brightest it's been all morning.

"Just do your best in fixing your friend," Meyer says, squeezing his son's shoulder. He turns his attention to his daughter. "And you, Bonnie?"

"You should go with Papa," Clemont interrupts, before Bonnie can even open her mouth. He flushes slightly when both Bonnie and Meyer look at him, but he continues on anyway, his fingers fidgeting together. "I'm… I'm going to be pretty distracted while I try to fix Ash, Bonnie. I'll probably be too busy to take care of you properly, so it's better you go with Papa rather than stay here."

Bonnie shakes her head. "That's exactly why I've gotta stay!" she retorts, much to her brother's surprise. "I know what you're like when you're inventing – you'll run yourself ragged and forget to eat and never get any sleep if there's no-one here to remind you to do it! So, if you're staying, then I've gotta stay too so that _I_ can look after _you._ " Her voice gets smaller, dropping in volume and vehemence. "Besides… I don't wanna leave Ash behind either. I wanna be here when he wakes up."

"Bonnie…" Clemont says, his expression soft.

Meyer nods, reaching out a hand to ruffle her hair as well. She giggles, the sound more watery than usual but still welcome. "Alright then, if both of you want to stay, then I guess I'll just have to stay here as well."

"Huh?" his children exclaim in sync. Meyer chuckles at their surprise.

"It makes the most sense," he tells them. "That way, I can look after _both_ of you and the two of you can look after Ash." He looks at his son. "Also, I can look after getting the Gym rebuilt, so that you can spend your free time fixing your friend."

Clemont looks entirely relieved at the idea that Meyer will look after the Gym – although whether that is simply because it means more time for fixing Ash, or because it lets him put off looking at his damaged Gym, Meyer doesn't know. He wants to do anything that he can to help his children.

"But the shop…" Clemont protests weakly.

"Ampharos will be fine looking after it," Meyer replies. "Besides, Lumiose can do without me and my shop for a month or two, right?"

In response, Clemont and Bonnie simply hug him again, leaning into the comfort he offers them. "…Thanks, Papa," Clemont says quietly. "I'm going to do my best to fix Ash."

Meyer smiles, leaning down to plant a kiss on the top of his son's head. "I know you will," he tells the boy. "We all have faith in you." A kiss to the top of his daughter's head. "Both of you are so brave, I'm very proud of you."

Eventually, they pull away, their faces more composed despite the tear tracks on their cheeks. He raises his eyebrows in a silent question and the smiles he gets in reply reassure him more than any spoken words. With a sense of relief, he pushes himself to his feet. "Well then, I'm going to go and check over the Gym properly and see about getting it rebuilt. The two of you should probably go and see Officer Jenny this morning once you're done with breakfast," he suggests, noting the way Clemont's mouth turns down in reluctance at the idea. "Just leave your plates on the table, I'll clean everything up when I get back from making arrangements." He heads towards the door, pausing beside Clemont to squeeze his shoulder. His son looks up at him questioningly. "If you need any help, or anything at all, just let us know, alright?"

At Clemont's nod, he squeezes his shoulder again in reassurance and then heads out of the kitchen towards the front door. "See you both later! Take care!"

The door closes on the chorus of "Bye, Papa!" that follows. Just outside the front of the apartment – and thus outside his children's sight – Meyer stops for a moment and sighs. _Please, let them be alright soon._

/\/\/\

Neither of them eat much breakfast after that. Despite what his father has said, Clemont finds himself clearing the table anyway, putting everything away in its place. He also does the dishes, washing them and drying them all with meticulous care. It's not until he finds himself rearranging their spice rack by alphabetical order instead of by type that he realises he's just trying to stall, trying to put off having to go and talk to Officer Jenny about Team Rocket and what they'd done.

 _I don't want to talk about what happened,_ he thinks, frowning down at the jar of nutmeg in his hand. _I don't even want to_ think _about what happened, it just… it hurts, and I could barely tell Papa about it. But… no matter how personal it feels to me, it was an attack on the Lumiose Gym, an attack at Prism Tower. The police do need to know what happened. Maybe they'll even find this Team Rocket… but I never want to see them again. After all, it's because of them that the Gym is – that_ Ash _is – that Ash is –_

"Geez Clemont, are you still in here?" Bonnie's voice cuts through his thoughts so abruptly that he jolts in shock and drops the jar in his hands. He fumbles for it, misses; and it's only Pikachu's desperate dive that ensures the jar doesn't smash all over the ground. _At least it would have given me something else to clean_ , he thinks wryly, bending down to take the jar from a sprawling Pikachu. "Thanks, Pikachu," he tells the Pokémon, scratching his head. Pikachu waves a paw at him.

"Pipika pi!"

He lets Pikachu climb up his arm and settle on his shoulder with a paw buried in his hair for balance. He places the jar of nutmeg carefully with the other spices – now half organised in the new system, he's going to need to fix that later – and turns to Bonnie, who has already changed out of her pyjamas while Clemont has been cleaning (delaying). "What is it, Bonnie?"

His little sister gives him a long look; Clemont knows that he must still look like a mess, standing there with his hair uncombed and still in his pyjamas. He thinks that maybe she's about to berate him for being slow – maybe she just wants to get it over with whereas he _doesn't want to do it at all_ – but all Bonnie says is, "Can you come help me with my hair please? It's being stubborn this morning." Her mouth twists down in mild annoyance as she complains. Clemont can't help but smile as he takes the proffered brush and hair tie and sits down, motioning her to stand in front of him.

When he runs the brush through her hair, he finds that it isn't actually all that bad. He huffs a quiet laugh to himself at the realisation that she doesn't need help with her hair at all. Of course she doesn't; Bonnie takes great pride in the fact that she's been able to do her own hair now for the past few years. He thinks that maybe, she just wants to give him something other to think about, and the thought keeps the smile on his face as he quickly braids the front of her hair and ties it up. "There you go, all done."

"Thanks Clemont!" she says brightly. When Clemont holds out the brush for her to take back, she grabs his wrist instead and tugs him to his feet. "Okay, now your turn! Go and get ready!" She pushes him into the hallway with all the strength her eight-year-old body holds, helped along by his socks sliding against the polished floor.

He laughs. "Alright, alright! I'm going, I'm going!"

She watches him suspiciously as he regains his balance and heads towards his room, as though she thinks he might make a break for it the moment her back is turned. He does no such thing, however. He lets Pikachu splash around in the water at his feet as he showers (and alright, maybe he stalls a little longer by making sure Pikachu is thoroughly clean as well, but Pikachu _does_ deserve the care after yesterday) and goes through the rest of his usual morning routine until he finally looks like he's holding himself together. _You're the Gym Leader of Lumiose City,_ he tells his reflection sternly, trying to psyche himself up. _You managed to fight off Team Rocket, you can do something as simple as this. Besides, Ash is counting on you._ He can almost imagine Ash clapping him on the back, cheering him on and bolstering his courage just by being there next to him. Clemont nods to himself. He can do this.

He presents himself to Bonnie, swinging her feet impatiently as she waits for him at the kitchen table. "Finally!" she exclaims, jumping to her feet. Pikachu manages to find a perch on his shoulder just before Bonnie grabs his hand, tugging him towards the door. "Come on, let's go!"

Clemont lets himself be pulled along, amused at her enthusiasm. His feet slow down as they pass the door to his workshop, but he can't bring himself to stop and check inside just yet. His hand is squeezed; Clemont looks up to find Bonnie looking back at him. "He'll come back," she says fiercely. "You'll bring him back, Clemont, I know you will."

He squeezes her hand back in silent – agreement? Reassurance? Clemont isn't sure – and catches up to her so that he is walking alongside. "Come on, let's go find Officer Jenny."

* * *

Thanks for reading! C:


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

Clemont pushes open the door to his apartment, feeling weariness down to his bones as he takes off his shoes. The long discussion with Officer Jenny about yesterday's events hadn't been physically exhausting, but it had been incredibly emotionally draining. Luckily, it appears that his father is right, and that talking about things does make it easier, eventually. At least he had managed to recount the story in a more professional manner than he had to his father last night; it would have been embarrassing to burst into tears in front of the police officers talking to them.

It had been a long interview though; they had spent all morning at the police station. Now it was lunchtime, and although Papa had offered to take them both out for lunch as a treat, he had declined. He's itching to start work on repairing Ash, as much as he fears it; besides, he's not feeling at all hungry after this morning. He thinks his father understood, while he has a promise from Bonnie to bring him back a treat.

The apartment is silent as he pads along the hallway in his socks. There's no-one here but him; Pikachu had decided to stay with Bonnie rather than return to the apartment with Clemont.

 _Well, no-one but me and Ash, that is_ , he amends, setting a hand against the door to his workshop. He stands there for a long moment, hand against the door, the same old doubts and worry and fear washing through him. Taking a deep breath, he pushes the door open all the way and steps inside, flipping on the lights.

Even though he knows the sight will be painful, it's still a punch to the gut to see Ash lying so quiet and still on the platform in the middle of the room. Swallowing back his distress, Clemont forces himself to walk over, kneeling beside the broken body of his friend. "Oh, Ash…" he whispers, reaching out with trembling fingers to touch the robot's shoulder.

It hurts to look at Ash. His friend is so still, he could almost be sleeping – except Ash doesn't sleep, and he never lays so straight and unmoving, his one good arm laying across his stomach. When Ash lays down, he sprawls, as though there's too much energy contained in his body to simply stay in one place. Clemont has only ever seen Ash like this twice before – the first, when he was building him (and he wasn't _Ash_ then, which is the strangest thought because when was he ever not Ash?) and the second when he was upgrading Ash's body. But this is nothing like those times; for one thing, there were never any gashes or marks marring Ash's skin either of those times, and for another, more importantly, Clemont had known without a doubt that Ash would wake up when he was done. Now, he's not so sure. What if he does all that he can, and it's still not enough, and Ash _doesn't wake up_ …?

His fingers curl around Ash's shoulder. _No. I can do this. Ash will wake up. I made a promise._

The first thing he does (when he can force his legs to move) is hook Ash up to the main computer in the workshop to start downloading the robot's code to examine later. It's not as easy a task as it sounds, because Ash's back is horribly dented, warping the access panel into a state that takes Clemont long, tense minutes to wrangle open. Equally hard are the flashbacks that come with it, because Clemont recognises these injuries as ones Ash had probably taken in his attempt to shield Bonnie when the ceiling of the Gym collapsed. He has to put the screwdriver down for a few minutes and take long, deep breathes until his hands have stopped trembling enough for him to safely wield it. As he plugs the connecting wires into the port – luckily mostly undamaged in the places that count – the way some of the circuits are blackened or fused together in other places gives him a strong, grim suspicion that a lot of Ash's circuits are more than likely fried.

The computer beeps, signalling that the data transfer is successfully starting. Clemont sighs in relief. Ash's code is fairly dense; it looks like it'll take a while for all of it to download to the computer's memory. He decides to check Ash over while the data transfers to get a better idea of the extent of the damage. Clemont vaguely remembers doing this yesterday after Ash had collapsed, trying to see what had caused his friend to just abruptly shut down. He needs to catalogue everything properly today though so that he can figure out how best to go about fixing him – and that means checking Ash over again, no matter how sick to the stomach it makes Clemont feel.

Ash's right arm is an absolute wreck from his fingers to his elbow, the metal twisted and warped more than it had been in Clemont's memory. Most of the wiring is hanging loose, wrenched from connections even where they've been soldered in place. Clemont hisses in dismay as he turns it gently from side to side. Maybe it had been a salvageable fix yesterday, but all the extra damage after that has rendered the arm completely useless. He'll have to rebuild it again.

 _'I think I broke my hand again… Sorry, Clemont.'_

Not every bit of damage is as extensive as Ash's arm and back though, and that give Clemont a small breath of hope. His legs have only superficial damage, though there is one gash that cuts through every layer right down to the writing and metal bones. Ash's other arm is in a similar condition – not perfect, but nothing that should be too hard to fix. Ash's torso has sustained a fair amount of damage too, the back moreso than the front. Clemont exhales shakily when he makes it to the compartment housing Ash's 'heart' and finds the battery system that powers Ash is damaged, wires twisted out of place and blackened areas everywhere. If it's too damaged, he'll have to build an entirely new one from scratch the way he had the first, which had been a very fiddly job. However, when he examines the system more closely he finds that the battery may be damaged but much of the surrounding mechanisms are in fact still intact. Clemont breathes a little easier as he carefully lowers the battery back into place.

When he finally brings himself to check Ash's memory banks, the rush of relief at finding them unharmed is so heady that it makes him lightheaded for a few moments. Dread follows quickly on its heels, because from what he can see – he can't check anything in this panel properly until the computer has completely the data transfer – the processors are almost certainly fried.

 _'My head – it_ really _hurts – Clemont –'_

Clemont buries his face against Ash's hair, not caring that it's still streaked with dust and grime from the Gym. Whatever Team Rocket's code was, it had forced Ash under their control. However, his friend hadn't made it an easy fight and the proof of that is the way some of the processors have actually half- _melted_ from the strain of running conflicting programs against each other.

 _'I won't give up as long as I can still fight!'_

He sniffles, fighting the urge to cry again. If his suspicions are right, and that damage occurred when Ash was first being mind-controlled – then how had Ash even been able to _function_ through the rest of his fight with half of what was essentially his brain destroyed?

"I knew you were amazing," Clemont whispers to the still form. He sniffles again, closing his eyes when they begin to sting with tears. "You're always surprising me; I suppose I shouldn't be surprised – hah! – about that anymore." He reaches for Ash's good hand and threads their fingers together. "Science sure is amazing, huh, Ash?" His watery laugh fades into silence.

He sits there on the platform holding Ash's hand until the computer beeps again. Clemont gently sets Ash's hand back down and bounds to his feet, hurrying over to the computer. _Let's see, data transfer… complete! Were there any problems…? No, it looked like all of the files managed to transfer successfully, thank goodness!_ He taps out a few commands on the keyboard, storing Ash's code in a secure folder. No problems with the transfer is a good sign that Ash's memory banks are completely undamaged.

Despite the beckoning desire to sift through Ash's code and see exactly what Team Rocket had tried to do, Clemont instead puts the computer into standby and disconnects the cables from his robot. He's decided that he'll work on Ash's physical recovery first, because leaving Ash in his current damaged state and having to see his friend like that every time he comes into the workshop is too much for Clemont to bear. Not to mention that he's really not in the right headspace to spend hours upon hours sorting through code, especially if he's right about Team Rocket's code making a mess of Ash's programming. His fingers itch to work on something.

Even so, as he studies his notes on the damage Ash has sustained to his physical shell, Clemont realises that he's going to have to draw up a fair amount of blueprints first. Some of the damage is incredibly extensive and requires a lot of tricky repairs. As much as he desperately wants to fix Ash _now_ and have his friend back, Ash deserves better than Clemont just rushing in blindly.

Clemont sighs, plunking himself down at his workbench and reaching for a pencil, mind already whirling with thoughts on what needs to be done first.

.

.

.

He's still seated at his workbench, furiously drawing up plans and diagrams when the click of the front door announces his father and Bonnie's arrival. Clemont barely hears them come in, too engrossed in his work to pay attention to the outside world.

Bonnie and Meyer aren't worried when Clemont doesn't come to greet them, fully aware that the inventor has probably lost track of reality for the moment. Bonnie only huffs a small sigh, knowing her earlier prediction of her brother not taking care of himself is already starting to come true. Meyer smiles, handing her the bag with the treat she had spent a good ten minutes picking out at the patisserie, along with a plate and fork, and nods towards the workshop door.

Clemont still doesn't notice the door to his workshop being nudged open a little wider, a lithe yellow blur darting in through the gap. Bonnie pokes her head in after Pikachu, treat hidden behind the door. "Clemont?" When her brother fails to respond, she raises her voice slightly. "Clemont?"

Her brother jerks in surprise, looking up towards the door. "Bonnie? You're back already?" She slips in through the door as Pikachu bounds up onto the bench beside Clemont's hand. "Oh, and Pikachu too! Did you have a good time?" The pencil is placed down in favour of scratching Pikachu behind the ears, eliciting a happy response from the Pokémon. Bonnie approves. She gives Pikachu a thumbs up when Clemont isn't looking, for forcing her brother to take a break.

Her attention is caught by Ash's figure lying prone in the middle of the room, on the platform where her brother usually works on his inventions. He looks… smaller somehow, without all of the exuberant energy she's used to. She hadn't gotten a very good look at how badly Ash had been injured yesterday, but here the damage is plain to see under the lights of the workshop. Ash looks _terrible_.

She isn't aware of Clemont's eyes on her as she walks carefully towards Ash, as though the robot is sleeping and one loud noise could wake him. He _is_ sleeping, she decides, looking down at him. He's sleeping until Clemont can help him wake up again.

"Hi, Ash," she says softly, brushing some of the dust out of his hair. "I hope that you're dreaming about something good!" Her smile fades. "Thanks for saving me, when the rocks fell down," she tells her sleeping friend. Bonnie tries to imagine Ash's response, a bright grin and a ' _That's what family is for, right?_ ' Her hand strays towards the mangled metal of his right arm. "I'm sorry you got hurt doing it, though… Oh! But Clemont and I talked to Officer Jenny today!" she adds brightly, bouncing back from her solemn mood. "They're gonna find those thieves and arrest them!" She nods, decisive. "Anyway, we'll be waiting for you when you wake up!" Bonnie leans down, pressing a kiss to Ash's forehead the way Clemont does when he says good night. "Sleep well, Ash!"

She bounds back over to Clemont. Her brother stares at her for a moment, before he smiles so softly she thinks he might cry. Bonnie doesn't want to see her brother cry; he's just as prone to it as their Papa is, but Clemont has cried too much since yesterday. She has to be strong for both of them.

"Were you okay by yourself here, Clemont?" she asks, putting the plate and fork onto the bench beside the diagram he had been drawing. Bonnie squints at it from her tip-toe vantage point, unsure of what all the pictures and technical words refer to; she's pretty sure that drawing over there might be for Ash's arm, however. No functions for creating electricity this time though, thank goodness.

"Hm? Oh. I'm fine, there's no need to worry," Clemont tells her, pulling another stool over for her to climb up onto.

Bonnie fixes him with a steely gaze. "You say that, but I bet you didn't eat any lunch at all!" she accuses, pointing at her brother. His eyes slide away from her gaze, his demeanour turning sheepish.

"Ah… well…"

"See, I knew it!" Her voice is triumphant.

"Well, I wasn't really very hungry anyway…" Clemont tries to explain, but Bonnie just holds out the bag from the patisserie towards him. "What's this?"

"The treat I promised!" she beams. He smiles at her enthusiasm, opening up the bag. It's a slice of clafoutis, made with Bluk berries, a treat she knows her brother likes. "If you didn't have lunch, then that means you haven't eaten anything since breakfast! And it's already late in the afternoon!"

"Is it really?" Clemont says, startled. He glances towards the windows of the workshop, deflating slightly when he sees that yes, his sister is correct. "I guess I got caught up in my work again then…" he says sheepishly. Bonnie just makes a noise of agreement and hands him the plate and fork, much to his amusement. "Thanks, Bonnie."

She looks over the workbench again as he starts to eat, at the many sheets of paper littering the surface. "So, how's it going?" Clearly there's some good news, if her brother is in regular inventor mode rather than being frantic.

"S'going okay," he mumbles through his food, expression brightening as he swallows and looks down at the clafoutis. "Mm, this is really good! Thanks, Bonnie." He starts eating with a little more enthusiasm, much to Bonnie's satisfaction. She pats herself on the back for a good plan. It's Pikachu's turn to give her a thumbs up this time.

He points at part of the diagrams he's been drawing. "You see this bit here? Well, I noticed that it had been damaged quite a bit and it needed replacing, and then I figured, well, why not improve it while I'm at it? So _now_ …"

Bonnie listens patiently as Clemont points out different parts of what he's drawn, explaining what each drawing is about and why he's done it. She doesn't understand most of what he's talking about, but it's a relief to see her brother so animated about something when he's been so quiet and pale this morning. Pikachu, on the other hand, takes in Clemont's words with a fierce attention, ears twitching every now and then at an explanation. Bonnie's fairly sure that Pikachu understands about as much of her brother's technical explanations as much as she does, but that doesn't seem to matter. Pikachu has become so fiercely loyal to Ash that Bonnie wonders if this is his attempt to understand how he can help his friend better.

The clafoutis is long gone by the time Meyer pokes his head in the door to announce that dinner is ready. Clemont looks startled – he had started mumbling to himself a while ago and Bonnie figures that her brother has lost track of time again. Still, he looks about to excuse himself out of dinner, so Bonnie bounds to her feet from where she has been playing with Pikachu and tugs on his hand. "Come on, Clemont, you can't skip dinner when you already skipped lunch!"

His eyes dart between her and the papers he's been working on, clearly torn. His fingers twitch like he wants to pick up the pencil again and get back to work, but instead he sighs and hops off the stool. "Alright, I'm coming." He lets her grab hold of his hand and tug him towards the door, their father watching them both with an amused look.

/\/\/\

Of course, it isn't always that easy to pry her brother away from his work.

"Hey, Clemont!"

"Mmhmm?"

"It's almost time for dinner, you should go and wash your hands."

"Mmm."

"Oh, and Papa wanted to know where you keep the colander, he can't find it…"

"Mmm."

"…Geez, you aren't actually listening to anything I say, are you?"

"Mmm."

.

.

.

Predictably, her brother doesn't show up for dinner. Meyer and Bonnie exchange glances, but leave Clemont to his work. Without Ash, without her brother, the table feels emptier than it ever did with just her and Clemont.

After dinner, Papa starts to clean up the kitchen, though first he hands her a plate laden with food. "Take that to your brother, please," Papa asks. "He's been skipping a lot of meals the past few days… Careful, it's hot."

"Of course!" she says cheerfully, holding the plate carefully. Pikachu darts ahead of her, pushing open the door to the workshop so that Bonnie doesn't have to juggle her burden. "Thanks, Pikachu!"

"Clemont?" Bonnie slips inside the room, looking around for her brother. He isn't over at the platform, where Ash still sleeps. She calls a quiet hello to the robot as she passes him, but Pikachu jumps up to sit beside Ash. The small Pokémon nuzzles his face against Ash's cheek in greeting, bringing a smile to Bonnie's face.

Finally, she spots the blue of her brother's jumpsuit over at the workbench. Feeling slightly piqued that he would ignore her – _I bet he's too busy with his plans again to even realise I'm here!_ – she approaches him without any attempt at being quiet. "Clemont, I brought you din –"

Bonnie cuts off mid-word as she registers the sight before her. Far from being absorbed in his work, Clemont is actually fast asleep, head pillowed on his arms and his glasses askew. Bonnie huffs with amusement and shakes her head, searching for a place to put down the plate of food amidst the blueprints strewn about. Once her hands are free, she stretches up on tip-toe to gently slide the glasses off his face, setting them next to the plate of food. Clemont stirs and Bonnie freezes, holding her breath. Thankfully, her brother doesn't wake, instead burrowing his face a bit further into his arms and mumbling unintelligible words. Bonnie retreats back a few paces, hardly daring to breath, before she spins around and tip-toes quickly out of the workshop.

She hurries down the hall to the linen closet and starts to rummage around, straining on the tips of her toes. Her father pokes his head out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishcloth. "Is everything alright, Bonnie? Did he eat dinner?"

"Sssh!" she whispers, placing a finger over her lips for silence before returning to her search of the linen closet. A blue corner of cloth catches her eye, and she spies the item she is looking for on a shelf just out of her reach. "Papa, could you get that blanket for me, please?"

Meyer obtains the blanket with an ease that makes Bonnie feel a bit envious. Still, for now, she has more important things to worry about. It's been nearly a week since Clemont started working on fixing Ash, and Bonnie can count the number of nights her brother has actually slept on one hand and still have fingers left over. She wants Ash to wake up as fast as he can, but she also doesn't want her brother to exhaust himself too much. Bonnie is pretty sure Ash wouldn't want Clemont working himself too hard either. "Thanks, Papa!" she says brightly, trundling back up the hallway with her arms laden with blanket. A bemused Meyer follows her as she silently slips back into the workshop.

Clemont doesn't wake up when Bonnie flips open the blanket, nor when she tries unsuccessfully to drape it over his shoulders – the stool he is sitting on is too high for her to draw the blanket up that much. Pikachu jumps up onto the bench to help, but can't get close enough to help pull the blanket over the sleeping blond. She's debating whether or not to simply try tossing the blanket – it might wake Clemont up, and Bonnie knows Clemont will just go back to work when he does wake up – when strong hands grip the blanket beside hers and help pull it up over Clemont's shoulders. Bonnie beams at her father, who winks back at her. He picks up the plate of dinner as they turn to leave. "I'll put this in the fridge," he whispers. Bonnie nods, then looks towards Pikachu, still perched on the workbench beside her brother.

"Are you staying here, Pikachu?"

"Pika," Pikachu nods, a yawn escaping his jaws. Bonnie giggles quietly. _I guess Clemont isn't the only sleepyhead around here!_ "Please make sure he gets some more sleep then!" she whispers. Pikachu nods more vehemently, waving to her once before curling up in a ball beside Clemont's arms. Bonnie tip-toes towards her father at the door, pausing by Ash's sleeping form to give him a good night kiss on the forehead. As her father flicks off the lights and sets the door slightly ajar, Bonnie whispers to the room at large,

"Good night, Clemont and Ash! Sweet dreams!"

/\/\/\

 _– something's wrong – it_ hurts _, Clemont! – red eyes gleaming in a cold, cold face – they've changed his_ code _they're hurting him Ash, Ash I'm so sorry, please, please remember me you have to fight it_ please _he's NOT YOURS – friends are like family that you can choose – please Ash – red eyes burning hurting rocks falling crashing hurting – no no no no nono_ _ **nonoNO**_ _BONNIE! ASH!_

 _– please wake up please don't leave me both of you NO –_

Clemont wakes with a gasp, lurching bolt upright. For a second, his gaze darts around wildly, aimlessly – but when all he sees is the fuzzy darkness of his room, he shudders with the realisation that he's managed to escape the nightmare. One hand clutches at his pyjamas over his heart as it wildly hammers against his chest; the other braces itself on his thigh as he hunches over, struggling to breathe normally.

 _It was just a dream,_ he thinks to himself forcefully, squeezing his eyes shut. _It was just a dream._ Images of Ash and Bonnie lying hurt flash across his eyelids and his eyes spring open again. _It was just a dream!_

He shivers. Some of it had been all too real, though.

"Pipika…?" A sleepy voice mumbles. There's a soft touch to his arm and he jumps in shock, biting back the startled yelp that wants to escape. He glances down and sees a yellow blur.

"Sorry, Pikachu," he whispers shakily, fumbling blindly for his glasses. Pikachu's concerned face snaps into focus when he manages to shove them onto his nose with fingers that still shake, thankfully avoiding poking himself in the eye.

Pikachu's ears are almost flat against his head. "Chuuuuu," he says mournfully. Pikachu reaches out to pat Clemont on the arm again, a little more tentatively. "Pipika chu pika?"

Clemont tries for a smile, knowing it's a very horrible attempt at one. Still, Pikachu's concern is rather touching. He straightens up a bit, his breathing starting to return back to normal, although his heart still thuds painfully in his chest. "I'm okay," he tells Pikachu, reaching out to rub between the small Pokémon's ears. Pikachu looks doubtful at this claim, but lets Clemont pat him without comment. "I'm okay," he repeats, more to himself this time. "It was just a bad dream."

He glances at the clock, his hand still running over Pikachu's fur in a soothing motion. Whether it's more soothing for Pikachu or for himself, Clemont can't say. The blazing red numbers display a time that is much too early for him to be awake, even with his early bird tendencies. He sighs, casting a longing glance back at his pillow. However, it's pointless to try and go back to sleep. For one thing, he knows that if he tries to sleep now, he'll just end up in another nightmare again. It's not the first time he's woken terrified from a bad dream since that day and Clemont is sure that it won't be the last, either. He's also just too jittery to sleep at the moment; his nerves are frayed and his hands are still trembling with adrenaline and fear. Clemont scrubs at his eyes tiredly.

There's a very quiet knock at his door, so soft he would have missed it if the night weren't so still. Pikachu's ears perk up at the sound and he peeks over Clemont's legs to get a better look at the newcomer. It's Bonnie, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes with one hand as she yawns.

"Bonnie!" he whispers. "Why are you up? You should be asleep."

"Thought I heard s'm'thin'," she mumbles. She stumbles her way over to his bed, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a cape. He has to steady her as she crawls up onto his bed beside him. "D'ya have a bad dream, Clemont?"

"I – " he starts, ready to lie and say that he's _fine_ , but something about Bonnie's sleepy concern makes him honest instead. Maybe it's because it's night-time, and confidences are better shared in the dark like secrets; maybe it's because he's been there so many times after her own nightmares, and now his sister is trying to be there for him. Whatever the reason, he sighs and admits, "Yeah."

"Was it a really bad one?" she asks.

"…Yeah." A pause. "You and Ash were hurt. In the Gym."

"Oh, _Clemont_." Bonnie's voice is full of sympathy, and she practically falls on him to wrap her arms around his middle in a tight hug. He returns the hug just as fiercely, face pressed into her hair. His sister is here and unhurt. Ash _is_ hurt but – but he'll fix him.

"Thanks," he whispers when they separate. "It's late though, you should go back to bed."

"Nuh-uh," Bonnie says with the stubbornness of the half-awake, shaking her head. "I'm gonna stay here, an' if any other bad dreams try t' bother you, I'll fight them! Right, Pikachu?" She strikes a fierce pose. Pikachu copies it.

"Pika!"

Clemont hides a smile with his hand. "In that case, I know my dreams will be well guarded," he tells them, fond amusement in his voice. Bonnie nods emphatically in agreement, her expression serious. He shuffles back down under the covers, flipping open the corner. "Why don't you lay down next to me then? It's more comfortable, and you'll be able to watch over me more closely," he suggests.

Bonnie nods again, crawling under the covers until she is curled up beside him. "'Night, Clemont…" she says sleepily, her voice trailing off with a sigh. She's fast asleep. Clemont draws the covers over her as well, smiling fondly. He kisses her forehead.

"Good night, Bonnie. Thank you." His glasses go back on the bedside table as he snuggles into the pillow. Somehow, he doesn't think he'll have any more trouble sleeping tonight. Pikachu curls up again beside the pillow. "Good night, Pikachu. Thank you too."

Pikachu mumbles a sleepy response, clearly dropping off to sleep almost as swiftly as Bonnie. Clemont huffs a laugh, and closes his eyes.

He sleeps right through to the morning without a single bad dream.

.

.

.

Meyer is somehow not at all surprised to find all three of his charges curled up together when he checks on them the next morning. Rather than disturb them, he pulls the door over again and heads down the hallway to the kitchen to start making breakfast.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	17. Chapter 17

_Omg I just realised this site has been cannibalising all of my section markers?! D: I only skim over the chapter to make sure there aren't giant gaps so I missed it. It must have been horrible to read, sorry! If you get notifications for previous chapters updating, it's just going to be me adding the markers back in :\_

 _EDIT: All added back in! Hopefully that makes some parts read a bit easier now?_

 _Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! C:_

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

The knock on the door of his workshop breaks Clemont's focus. He sets his screwdriver down with a sigh – he'll need to solder the part he's working on later anyway so he might as well take a break – and wipes the perspiration from his forehead. A week of hard work and little sleep have helped push him towards getting the physical repairs almost done, but it still means a week of an unnaturally silent Ash, lying lifeless in the middle of the workshop.

Clemont shakes his head, resolutely ignoring those thoughts. A full week, and he's finally nearing the end of the repairs. He's got at least another day of small, intricate fixes to make, and then a lot of diagnostics to run before he can move onto the code. The closer he gets to having to open those software files, the more apprehensive Clemont gets. At least Ash no longer looks as injured as he had before; the gashes are all cleared up, and Clemont is just putting the finishing touches on the wiring in his arm.

For now though, his father is waiting patiently by the door of his workshop, hand still raised to knock again. "Papa!" Clemont exclaims in surprise, waving his father inside. "Please, come in," he adds belatedly. _How long was I spacing out for just now?_

He climbs to his feet and hops off the platform, his legs a little unsteady from not moving for a long time. Meyer opens his arms and Clemont takes the invitation, hugging his father fiercely. Hugs from Bonnie are always warm and filled with sunshine, but his Papa's hugs are always calming and make him feel safe – something he desperately needs after last night. It's not until he steps back that he belatedly remembers all of the oil and grime streaked across his clothes, and now smeared across his father's overalls as well.

Meyer just laughs. "My clothes get worse fixing the Professor's appliances sometimes," his father says, waving off Clemont's sheepish apologies. "How are things going?" He gestures towards Ash.

Clemont brightens. "Oh, I'm almost done with repairing all of the physical damage, I just have to rewire some connections and load the new processors and memory banks after I finish what I'm doing now," he tells his father, before his shoulders slump. "I haven't started on fixing his code at all though," Clemont admits, defeat weighing him down. "That could… that could take a while." Even before Team Rocket had done anything, it had been a long time since Clemont had last run a maintenance check on Ash's code. Given how much Ash hates the feeling of anyone rummaging around in what is essentially his mind, Clemont has always tried to touch his code as little as he possibly could. _And now I might have to give it a huge overhaul,_ Clemont thinks to himself, feeling sick to his stomach with guilt. _What if I mess it up, and he doesn't come back as the Ash I know? Or even if I do everything right, what if Ash is mad at me for messing around in his code again?_

Though, Clemont would happily take an Ash that was _alive_ and able to be mad at him than the shell of his friend lying behind him.

Meyer looks thoughtful and nods in understanding. "Remember, if you need anything, just ask, alright?" he tells Clemont, waiting for his son's mumbled agreement before continuing. "And how are you?"

Clemont blinks. "I'm okay?" he answers, bemused.

His father sighs; much to Clemont's surprise, his father kneels down and puts a hand on his shoulder, expression serious. "Are you sure?" Meyer asks. "I don't think you've been sleeping that much. And I _know_ you haven't been eating all that much either. I know you want to fix Ash as soon as you can, but you need to take care of yourself too."

Clemont averts his eyes from the concern on his father's face, looking down at the ground. "I'm okay, Papa, really." He meets his father's sceptical look with a sheepish shrug. "This is fairly normal whenever I'm inventing," he explains. "Ask Bonnie, I just get caught up in things when I'm inventing. And this time…" Unbidden, his eyes drift to Ash before he looks back at Meyer. "I'm just a bit too worked up to sleep half the time, that's all. I'll get proper sleep when I'm done, I promise." Hopefully, his nightmares will die down a bit once he had Ash back and his family safe with him once more.

Meyer still looks troubled as his eyes flick over Clemont's face, searching. After a minute though he concedes with a sigh, patting Clemont on the shoulder. "Alright. But try to look after yourself too, okay? It's not good to miss too much food and sleep."

"I know, I'll try," Clemont replies, contrite. "You don't have to worry so much, Papa."

"Worrying comes along with caring about someone," Meyer chuckles, getting to his feet. "Although I didn't come in here just to check up on you. I've been organising the repairs on the Gym the last few days –"

A flash of guilt shoots through Clemont. "Ah, I really should have been doing that as the Gym Leader…" he mumbles. "Thank you."

Meyer waves off the thanks with a casual hand. "Don't worry about it, Clemont. Fixing Ash is important to you; your sister and I are happy to help out any way that we can. Ah, but there are some papers that you need to sign though, before the builders can actually start reconstruction. They've just been clearing out all of the rubble and stabilising the ceiling for now."

The thought of the destroyed Gym – _his_ Gym – still brings a tremble to Clemont's hands. He clenches them, swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat. "How is it?"

His father sighs. "It's not in complete ruins, but it's pretty banged up. Team Rocket really did a number on it… It could take a couple of weeks before all of the damage is fixed."

"I see…" Clemont replies softly. He frowns at the ground. _I really should go down and check on the Gym myself soon… but Papa seems to have things well in hand for now…_ A shiver races through him. _Maybe later… Drat that Team Rocket!_ The frown becomes a scowl as his frustrations rise. _I hope Officer Jenny manages to find them, because if I ever see them again…!_

"Don't worry though!" Meyer adds cheerfully, mistaking the reason for his son's frown. "I'm sure they'll fix it as good as new!"

Clemont forces a smile, dragging himself away from unpleasant thoughts. "Yeah!" Fortunately, his father accepts his reply at face value.

"Oh, I almost forgot the other reason I came in," Meyer says suddenly, rummaging in a pocket. "The construction crew gave this to me, said they found it in the rubble when they were clearing it away." There's a flash of red in his hand and the sight of it is like a punch to the gut. Clemont holds out trembling hands to accept Ash's hat from his father.

His father is still speaking, something about the Gym reconstruction, but Clemont is deaf to the words as he stares at Ash's hat, mind blank. Falling rocks and desperate screams echo in his ears.

 _'Ah!'_

 _'What is it?!'_

 _A pout. 'I lost my hat...'_

 _Laughter. 'Sorry… It must have fallen off when you dived for Bonnie. If it's buried under all that rubble, we'll find it later, I promise.'_

 _A grin, blinding like the sun. 'Thanks, Clemont!'_

His hands tighten on the hat, crinkling the fabric. There has clearly been an attempt to clean it – whether by Meyer or the construction crew, Clemont doesn't know – but the red and white remain dusty. _I'll have to wash it before Ash wakes up_ , Clemont thinks dully. _He was so excited about finding it, I don't want him to see it like this._ There's a gash in the side, about two inches long, more than likely from one of the falling rocks. Maybe even the same one that had scrapped Ash's temple. He fingers the tear in a daze. _This needs sewing up too._

 _'Something just feels missing… There we go! What do you think?'_

"– and that's – Clemont? Clemont, are you alright?"

The sound of his father's voice manages to drag Clemont out of his daze for a moment. "Huh?"

"Are you sure you're alright?" Meyer repeats, looking worried.

Clemont swallows, looking down again at Ash's hat in his hands. _No._ "Yeah, I'm fine," he lies, his reassuring smile a fake. He doesn't want to worry his father anymore than he has been already. "Thanks for bringing this, Papa. Ash will be pleased to get it back."

"Alright then," Meyer says. He reaches out and wraps Clemont in a hug, the gesture almost managing to break the thin veneer of composure that Clemont is holding onto. If Meyer notices that Clemont clings to him just a little bit tighter than he normally does, his father is prudent enough not to mention it aloud.

"Remember to get some sleep!" are his father's parting words, and then Clemont is left alone in his workshop once again.

He isn't aware of making his way back to the platform in the centre of the workshop, but one minute he's near the door and the next he's slowly sinking down next to Ash's prone form, Ash's hat cradled in his lap. It's all too much, suddenly – Team Rocket's attack, the nightmare last night, the desperation and worry he's constantly carrying in his stomach these days about whether he can bring Ash back properly, and now this, a reminder of the event that caused it all. It's the last straw.

His vision goes blurry; it's not until silent tears start to slide down his cheeks that Clemont even realises that he's crying. He sniffs, scrubbing at his eyes. "This isn't the time to be crying!" he scolds himself, but it doesn't stop the tears that trail down his cheeks one after the other, a steady procession that mark wet spots on Ash's hat.

There's a sudden blaze of light and the distinctive sound of Pokéballs opening, making Clemont jump. When the light fades, all of Clemont's Pokémon – Heliolisk and Bunnelby, Magnemite and Magneton – are surrounding him, concern in their eyes.

"It's nothing," he tries to reassure them, even as he swipes at the tears rolling down his cheeks again. "This is nothing, I'm fine."

"Zaaaaa," Heliolisk says reproachfully, climbing onto the platform beside Clemont to wrap short arms around him as far as they will reach. On his other side, Bunnelby does the same, ears joining in for a double hug. Magnemite and Magneton hover nearby, buzzing softly. Clemont giggles, a watery sound that nevertheless seems to reassure his Pokémon as they redouble their effort at comfort.

His heart swells at the love and concern from his Pokémon, almost provoking a fresh round of tears that aren't anything to do with sorrow. He lets go of Ash's hat to cradle arms around Heliolisk and Bunnelby with a sniff, hugging them back. Magnemite and Magneton hover closer until they are nuzzling against his head in the best imitation of a hug they can manage.

Hugs from Bonnie are always warm and filled with sunshine, and his Papa's hugs are always calming and make him feel safe, but hugs from his Pokémon are always filled with such unconditional love that Clemont is always left speechless.

"Bun!" Bunnelby says, peering up at him. Clemont smiles at him, lifting his glasses and wiping away the last remaining tears.

"Thank you, everyone," he says gratefully, reaching out to pat Magnemite and Magneton. "That helped a lot." A chorus of happiness rises from the group of Pokémon. Clemont continues to pat them all, giving them the attention they've been sorely lacking over the past few days. Although Clemont knows that his Pokémon are used to the way he tunes everything else out when he's working hard on an invention, he still feels guilty for having ignored them for so long. Especially after nearly all of them had been affected in some way by Team Rocket's attack.

Clemont casts a critical eye over his Pokémon, checking for any lingering problems from Team Rocket's attempt at mind control and the battle afterward. They all seem to have made a full recovery, for which Clemont is very grateful. He had taken them to the Pokémon Center the same day he and Bonnie had gone to see Officer Jenny, once the pain of losing Ash so unexpectedly wasn't so raw that it stopped him from thinking. Nurse Joy had healed them quickly and they have bounced back remarkably well.

An idea comes to him. "If you want, you guys can play with Bonnie while I'm in here working," he suggests. "That way, you won't have to stay shut up in your Pokéballs all the time." It wasn't fair on any of them to keep them cooped up just because he could only focus on one thing at the moment. He glances towards Ash, mouth turning down. "Especially since I don't know how long it'll be before I'm finished…"

They all seem happy with that idea; Clemont has a feeling that his sister is going to spoil all of his Pokémon rotten while he's not there to supervise. Still, his Pokémon really do deserve some spoiling and Bonnie is a natural at looking after Pokémon. She'll make a great Pokémon Trainer when she finally comes of age – a time that's not too far off.

 _'_ I'm _gonna be a Trainer when I turn ten! I can't wait! I'll be able to keep my very own Pokémon!'_

 _'Ahh, that sounds so cool. I wish_ I _could go on a Pokémon journey and meet lots of new Pokémon… You guys would like that too, right?'_

His hand jerks to a halt mid-pat as voices float up from his memory. _A Pokémon journey…_ He bites his lip, glancing back at Ash again. Magneton follows his gaze and floats down, hovering beside Ash's face. The magnet Pokémon buzzes an inquiry at Clemont.

Clemont sighs. "I'm still fixing him. To be honest… it's harder than I thought," he confesses. "And I'm scared to look at his code. If Team Rocket's machine affected you guys so badly, I don't want to think about what it did to Ash on the inside." Magneton droops, buzzing sadly. The other Pokémon react in a similar fashion. Although Clemont has explained to them all what had happened and why Ash was 'sleeping' at the moment, he isn't sure they'd understood everything. Still, all of his Pokémon love Ash just as fiercely as he and Bonnie do, and want him back with them as soon as is possible.

There's so many people counting on him, he realises. It's not just Ash, but all of the people and Pokémon who love Ash that are depending on Clemont to fix their friend. The thought is daunting, leaving him breathless for a moment. So many people to disappoint if he fails. But… so many people that are waiting for Ash to return. Clemont can't let his own fear stop him from achieveing that. He owes them that – he owes _Ash_ better than that.

 _'Come on, Clemont! Don't give up til the very end!'_

Clemont nods decisively. There's no reason to put off looking at the code, not when there's only a few more physical repairs to make. He'll do it now, while he still had the courage and determination to touch it. "I'm gonna do it," he tells his bemused Pokémon.

Despite his sudden decision, Clemont's confidence wanes drastically in the time it takes to poke his head out the door and call for Bonnie, asking her to look after his Pokémon for the afternoon. She readily agrees, and leads his Pokémon out of the workshop. Clemont makes sure to pat them all on the head as they pass him.

Looking at the computer waiting in the corner makes his legs feel weak; he approaches the computer with heavy steps and a heavy heart, apprehension burning in his gut despite the earlier pep talk. The monitor is blank and peacefully dark, but hums to life the second Clemont brushes the keyboard.

When he finally takes a seat in front of his computer, Clemont takes a deep breath and exhales shakily. "Right," he tells himself, trying to channel a confidence he doesn't feel as he sets his fingers on the keys. "I can do this."

/\/\/\

He can't do this.

If it has been painful to look at Ash and see the evidence of the physical injuries he'd suffered that day, it hurts far worse to look at the code he has downloaded from Ash and see the proof of the internal suffering Ash had gone through as well. Even just browsing through the auxiliary files, it's easy to see that parts of Ash's code have been shredded to pieces where Team Rocket's code has forced its way into the syntax. _It's not even_ well-written _code,_ Clemont notes with disdain as he scrolls through. _It's functional and the concepts are good, but nothing about this code is elegant, or efficient! Whoever it was that wrote that mind-control program, they're good, but they aren't anywhere near a professional level. It's the ugliest code I've ever seen!_

Ugly code that's currently marring Ash's very spirit. He takes a fierce satisfaction in deleting Team Rocket's code out of Ash's programming every time he comes across it, every strike of the delete key a triumph. Still, it's going to take time and much more work than simply deleting the code; it seems like Team Rocket's program has deleted some of the original programming or changed it in subtle ways. He'll have to check every routine and sub-routine and rewrite anything that looks even remotely out of place. Not just for the auxiliary files either; while there's damage there too, Clemont knows that he'll find the heaviest damage in the main core files that are vital to Ash being the Ash they know. Ash's AI system is the most complex thing he has ever written in his life; he wrote it to be self-learning so that it could evolve as Ash himself grew. _Those_ files, at Ash's very core, he's left alone since he first activated the robot… so there's a high chance that Clemont won't even recognise half the programming that's in them. He has his work cut out for him.

 _But it'll be worth it,_ he thinks fiercely, fingers dancing across the keyboard. _Getting Ash back is worth any amount of work._

Luckily, not every file has been tampered with – though Clemont intends to check them all anyway. He's not going to let even a speck of that horrible program remain.

He pauses at a section of code that he's not quite familiar with, frowning as he taps the keyboard idly. _I don't recognise this, but to be honest, I haven't really needed to upgrade any of the files in this section since Ash's redesign... I can't remember what this part is meant to be doing._ He sighs and pushes his chair back, making his way over to one of the cupboards around the room to rummage in it for the notebooks he had kept while creating his robot. _Guess I'll have to use these as reference_ …

/\/\/\

It's slow work, but Clemont is determined and has no intention of giving up. His eyes dart across the screen, scanning the code. Every now and then he refers to the notebook open at his elbow with a _hrm_ , matching the current code with his notes on the original. The computer desk around his keyboard is piled with notebooks, coloured post-its marking relevant pages like flags. An abandoned cup of tea that Bonnie had brought him hours ago sits amidst the piles, long since gone cold.

Finally reaching the end of the current file, Clemont saves his work and stretches with a sigh, reaching for the tea when he settles. The pace may be slow, but he's making steady progress. Between his notes and his own memories, finding the altered sections of code is proving to be a manageable task. There's been a few sections of his programming that he's had to redo – not because of Team Rocket, but simply because the original code itself needs an upgrade. He may as well take the opportunity to do it along the way.

 _I should be done in a few more days, if I can keep up this pace,_ Clemont thinks, taking an absentminded sip of the tea and grimacing at it. A glance at the clock in the corner of the screen brings a further grimace. _Though I should really get some rest soon; I worked straight through the night again._ He hadn't even noticed the workshop gradually getting brighter as the sun came up.

He yawns, leaning on the desk. Without anything to focus on, his late night is rapidly catching up to him. _One more file, and then I can go have a nap,_ he promises his family mentally, imagining their disapproving faces. _I should move onto some of the core files soon_ , he thinks, navigating through the system. _Cleaning up the auxiliary files is all very well, but anything broken there probably won't have an effect on rebooting Ash's system. Plus, I might have to reconfigure some of them based on any changes the core programming requires…_

The red flash of a flagged file catches his eye during his absent scrolling, though it takes his suddenly tired mind a moment to register what he has seen. He hurriedly scrolls back to it, frowning. _I don't recognise this file_ , he thinks, adjusting his glasses to peer closer at the screen with a frown. _I… wait, no, I do, this is one of the core files of Ash's AI system! Why is it flagged?_

He clicks on it, his frown only deepening when the computer beeps at him. "What do you mean, 'merp!'" he mutters crossly, trying again. The computer beeps at him again, this time throwing up a familiar screen.

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

 _Voice co…_ "Oh!" he exclaims, sitting up straight. "The locked file!" All traces of tiredness vanish as he peers closer at the screen, as though somehow proximity will help rid him of this long-lasting thorn in his side. He'd almost forgotten about this mysterious file, the only one in Ash's system that he can't open. _All because it refuses to accept that I'm giving it the password_.

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

"Sandwich?"

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

"Oh, come on, I know I set it as 'Sandwich'!"

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

"Don't you 'merp' me! Sandwich!"

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

"Stop being so stubborn! You're as bad as Ash!"

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

"I'm _telling_ you, it _really is_ 'sandwich'!"

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

 _'That's not the correct code. Sorry.'_

Clemont slumps, burying his face in his hands. He's _so sure_ that's what he had set the code up as; he's never changed it since then either, from what he can remember. Maybe he mispronounced the word when he was setting it?

The next few minutes are spent attempting every variation in pronunciation, intonation and spelling on the word 'sandwich' that Clemont can possibly think of. Each meets with an angry beep of the computer and a demand for the correct access code; amidst his looming despair, Clemont is at least thankful that he never set a limit on the amount of attempts that could be made, otherwise the file would be even _more_ inaccessible right now.

Chin propped up on one hand, he glares at the offending dialog box. _Maybe it wasn't affected by Team Rocket's program_ , he muses, tapping the desk absently. _If that's the case, then not being to access it isn't a problem. Besides, if I can't access it – and_ I'm _the one who locked it in the first place – then surely they wouldn't have been able to get into it either. The reason Ash wouldn't let me activate the Master Recognition mode was because the password was wrong – it's been like that since our first battle – not because they tampered with it._

He stares at the keyboard. _I have no way of being sure about that though_ , he concedes, the tempo of his fingers speeding up with his apprehension. _I'll have to check through it anyway, just to be sure. This file isn't just for the Master Recognition system – it's got a lot of the core dependants that the AI system relies on to function. Without it, Ash wouldn't be able to think… he wouldn't be alive._ He frowns. _Besides, I wouldn't put it past those thieves to sneak in some kind of Trojan program or virus, just waiting to activate. I can't let this happen to Ash ever again._ Ash's screams echo in his ears; Clemont shudders and shakes his head, trying to dispel the memory.

 _Still, I should have included some sort of manual override to this,_ he thinks wryly, transferring his gaze back to the words emblazoned on the screen. _An override for the override. Ash would laugh at me if I ever tell him about this._

Maybe he _will_ tell Ash about this when the robot is awake again. He won't mind the laughter if it means Ash is alive to voice it.

"Pipika!"

He jolts at the sudden sound, nearly overturning the twice-abandoned cup of tea with a flailed arm. It takes him a moment or two to place the owner of the sound. "Pikachu?" he asks, surprised.

Pikachu hops into his lap. "Pipika pi!" Pikachu says cheerfully, a happy whine soon following the greeting as Clemont gently scratches behind his ears.

"Clemont, you in here?" a sleepy voice asks. Clemont looks up from petting Pikachu to find his sister peering through the doorway, mid-yawn.

"Good morning, Bonnie," he says in answer. Spurred on by Bonnie, he finds his own jaw cracking a yawn.

Bonnie points at him. "I knew it!" she exclaims accusingly. "You didn't sleep at all again, did you, Clemont?"

"I – well, no," he admits sheepishly. His sister pouts at him, crossing her arms. "But it's going really well though!" he protests, waving her closer. He glances towards the screen with its accusation of failure. "Or, well, it was until now…"

Bonnie comes to stand beside his seat, yawning again as she hugs him good morning. Clemont returns the hug absently, mind still on the problem of the locked file as he clears away the error message. "See, I've been cleaning up all of the files that Team Rocket messed up," he explains. "And I've been improving some of my original coding while I'm at it, to give Ash an easier time of things. I was mostly working on auxiliary – minor – files last night."

"So all of these files are a part of Ash?" Bonnie asks, eyes wide as she leans in closer. "There's so many of them!"

Clemont laughs. "No, this is just a small part of the overall system. "This –" he clicks to a different folder, "is Ash. Or at least, all of his programming."

"Wow," Bonnie breathes, Pikachu only a beat behind her. Clemont can't help but smile at the awed look on her face. Abruptly, awe becomes a giggle. "It's so unlike Ash though – it's all full of maths and logic!" she explains at her brother's bemused look.

Two things that are very much polar opposites of Ash's on-the-fly creative personality. Clemont grins as well, sharing in the joke. "Well, you're not wrong…"

"So you have to fix all of these?" Bonnie asks, wide-eyed once the implications of that sets in.

Clemont sighs, laughter fading. He sets a hand on top of Pikachu's head to rub behind the Pokémon's ears. "Yeah," he replies. "But… none of this is going to matter if I can't get that locked file open…"

Bonnie blinks at him, confusion apparent. "What's wrong?"

"There's a really important file that I put a lock on back when I first made Ash," Clemont explains glumly. "And I need to open it to check that everything is still okay, but the password that I set to unlock it won't work. I'm sure that's what I set it as!"

"Oh…" Bonnie exchanges a look with Pikachu that her downcast brother doesn't see. "Don't worry! Just think really hard about it! I'm sure you can figure it out, Clemont!"

"Pika!"

Clemont smiles. "Thanks, you two. I'm kind of running out of ideas, though…"

Bonnie crosses her arms with a _hrm_ , deep in thought. Suddenly, her expression brightens. "I know!" she says, excitement lacing her voice. "What you need is a change of pace!"

"A change of pace?" Clemont repeats, eyebrows furrowing.

"Yeah!" Bonnie nods, warming to her idea. "You haven't left the apartment in days! Today, we're gonna go out and explore the city, and that way _you_ can take a break and get some fresh air!"

Pikachu perks up at the thought of going outside, twisting around to look up at Clemont hopefully. Clemont wilts a bit under the twin gazes from Pikachu and his sister. "Uh… I don't know, Bonnie," he says apologetically, scratching the back of his head. He glances back towards the computer and the mountain of files still waiting for him to finish checking through. "I've still got a lot of stuff to work on…"

Bonnie waves his protests away, her hands on her hips. "Nope! No arguments! I said I'd look after you and I say you're coming out with me today! I'm sure Ash wouldn't mind!" Pikachu nods. "Besides," she continues triumphantly, "didn't you just say that you were stuck? I bet you're just having trouble 'cause you've been thinking too much!"

 _Maybe a break would do me some good,_ Clemont muses, glancing back towards the computer. _But still, there's so much still to do, even if I can't get into this file for now. I can't spare the time._ "Well…" he says, ready to refuse, but he makes the mistake of looking at his sister and Pikachu before he can finish his sentence. The two of them are looking up at him with such hopeful faces that Clemont can feel all of his arguments withering away at the sight. He sighs, conceding the point. "Oh, alright fine, let's go out today then."

"Yay!" Bonnie cheers, jumping with excitement. Pikachu echoes her from his seat in Clemont's lap, waving happily. Clemont can't hide his amused smile as he watches the two of them celebrate. _Well, I guess if it makes them this happy, then I can spend a few hours not working today,_ he thinks to himself ruefully. _Maybe a break for fresh air really is what I need…_

"Okay, go get ready!" Bonnie exclaims. Clemont lets her push him off the chair, rescuing Pikachu with an arm as he does so. "I'll get Papa to make breakfast and then we can go out!" she sings, skipping towards the door.

"Sure," Clemont says, laughter in his voice. "Where are we going, though?" he calls after her.

Nearly to the door, Bonnie twirls back around on one foot to face him. "It's a secret!" she replies with a wink. "Just leave it to me!" Before she leaves, Bonnie skips over to Ash and plants a kiss on his cheek. "Good morning, Ash!" she adds cheerily, before dashing out of the room with happy giggles.

Clemont exchanges an amused look with Pikachu – now perched on his shoulder – before surveying his workshop with a sigh. It's a complete mess; there are things scattered everywhere. "I should clean this place up, it's dangerous like this," he mutters to himself. _It's a miracle Bonnie managed not to trip over anything!_ "Still, I suppose I can do that when I get back later." He looks around again, winces a second time at the mess, and starts to pick his way across the floor towards the centre platform. Luckily, the space around Ash is clear for Clemont to kneel down beside him.

"Hi, Ash," he says in a quiet voice. "We're going to be going out for a while, but I'll be back soon, alright?" If Ash was awake right now, Clemont has no doubts whatsoever that the robot would also be doing his best to drag Clemont outside and take a break.

 _'The outside world must be so exciting!'_

He pats Ash on the shoulder and waits for Pikachu. Once the electric Pokémon has said his own goodbye to Ash, the two of them head off to get ready for their outing. Clemont switches off the lights, letting only the morning sunlight that streams in through the windows remain. "See you later!" he calls, pulling the door closed.

"Come on, Clemont, hurry up!"

"Coming, coming…"

* * *

 _What's Bonnie got planned, I wonder?_

 _Thanks for reading! C:_


	18. Chapter 18

_Hi! I'm a little bit late with this chapter, sorry! Just a reminder also that I've gone back through all the chapters and they should (hopefully) all have the proper formatting now and be easier to read. Sorry about that again =A=_

 _Also, trigger warning for a character having a (short) panic attack in the last third of this chapter? I don't know how accurate I've portrayed it, but take care if it's a concern for you!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 18**_

It seems that Bonnie doesn't have a set plan in mind when they finally venture outside, just simple determination to ensure that her brother spends a decent amount of time out of his workshop. Clemont has to admit, the change of pace _is_ fairly nice. There's a small part of him that frets at wasting so much time outside when he could be repairing Ash, but Clemont squashes that part down ruthlessly whenever it tries to rear its head. He knows he's been worrying his father and sister with how badly he's been taking care of himself lately – the relief on his father's face when Bonnie had been detailing the outing to him over breakfast had lit the fire of guilt burning in his gut – and given Ash's reaction when he merely had a cold, he knows that Ash would also be concerned if he was here to see it too. There's no deadline to fixing Ash, aside from his own desire to have his best friend back on his feet again; Clemont is sure that the robot would be absolutely okay with him taking a day off, if it means he isn't overworking himself.

So he follows Bonnie around as she leads him down various streets and points out various things in the shop windows; sits back and enjoys the sun on his face as Bonnie splashes around in the park's fountain with Pikachu; yelps in surprise when Pikachu decides to shake himself dry and ends up splashing Clemont with what feels like half the fountain. He gives in to Bonnie's pleading eyes and buys the two of them ice-cream. Bonnie shares hers with Pikachu – perched on top of her head this time – as they make their way down another tree-lined street.

He pauses by a shop that proclaims itself the best for all a Pokémon Trainer's needs, looking at the items spread out in the window display. On their walk around the city, Clemont has overheard the disappointment of more than a few Trainers who have come to challenge his Gym and found it closed. At the very least, none of them are angry remarks; after all, there's not much anyone can do about the roof of the Gym collapsing. Still, Clemont finds himself mentally apologising whenever he passes such a conversation. Clemont has only been down to the Gym once since his father had given him Ash's hat back. The visit had been short, just to check on the damage – and thank the reconstruction crew – and the entire time, Clemont hadn't been able to rid himself of the sick feeling in his stomach. The thought of the Gym reopening still makes him apprehensive. _What kind of Gym Leader can't even stand the sight of his own Gym?_ Clemont thinks glumly. _How am I supposed to provide a challenge for Trainers who come to battle me?_

The shop window offers no answers. _Maybe I'm just too stressed out at the moment,_ he muses, staring at his reflection. It's easy to see why his family is worried about him – his skin is a pallor several shades lighter than normal and the dark circles under his eyes look almost permanent at this point. _Things might be better when I don't have to worry about Ash anymore._ Although, from experience, even then Clemont will still be worrying about his robot and his penchant for getting into trouble. He hasn't forgotten Ash's desire to become a Pokémon Trainer, either. It hadn't come up again after that day in the rain and their argument, but that doesn't mean that Ash has dropped the idea. As much as Clemont wants to support Ash in achieving his dream, he's still not sure what he thinks about it. There's still a tangled ball of worry and fear in his gut whenever he considers Ash setting off around Kalos on his own. Yet Clemont isn't so much of a mess at the moment that he's missed the fact that he's been improving Ash's design here and there almost unconsciously whilst fixing it, making it stronger, sturdier, lighter – in short, making an upgrade well suited to someone trekking across the countryside. It's not just the hardware side of things either; he's caught himself boosting programs and increasing efficiency in the code, not to mention writing entirely new scripts, in the short time he's been working on cleaning up all of the software as well.

Clemont sighs. _I can't even get my act together to decide if I want him to be able to go or not_.

A tug on his sleeve draws his attention downwards to Bonnie, who is looking between the shop window and him. "Clemont, what's up? Did you see something that you want?" She stands on tip-toe, pressing her face to the glass to get a better look at the things on display. Pikachu peers through the glass as well from his vantage point on her head.

"Ah, no, I was just thinking…" he replies sheepishly. Now wasn't the time to get caught up in negative thoughts! "Did you want something?"

"Pika, pikachu pi pika!" Pikachu answers before Bonnie can open her mouth, waving an arm. Sparing Pikachu a glance, Bonnie translates: "There's a garden further down the street. I think Pikachu wants to goes there?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nods when Clemont looks to him for confirmation.

"Then of course we can go there," Clemont says with a smile. "Why don't you two lead the way?"

Bonnie cheers, skipping ahead and pausing every so often to make sure her brother is keeping up with his more sedate pace. _A garden, huh?_ Clemont muses as he walks. He blinks, a sudden thought blooming, and he glances around to check what part of the city they're walking through at the moment. _I think we're in the right place, I wonder if this is –?_

"Oh!" Bonnie says, coming to a halt. "Clemont, isn't this the flower garden we first saw Pikachu in?"

"Yes, I think so," he replies, looking around at the riot of colourful flowers on display. They'd come at it from a different direction this time, but he's pretty sure that that patch of blue flowers that he can see in the distance is where they first met the small Pokémon still riding on Bonnie's head.

"Is this where you live, Pikachu?" Bonnie asks, eyes wide. "It's so pretty!.. Ah, Pikachu!"

Pikachu leaps down from his perch, racing down the grassy pathway as Bonnie calls out after him. Clemont has a sudden stab of worry – _is Pikachu leaving?_ – when Pikachu stops and waves to them from further up the path. "Pipika! Pipikachu!"

Clemont lets out a sigh of relief. "Come on, I think Pikachu wants us to follow him," he tells her, holding out a hand. The two of them follow Pikachu through the winding paths between the flowers, until one such path opens onto a small glade, soft grass beneath their feet and surrounded by gently swaying flowers.

"Wow," Bonnie breathes, spinning around to look at it all. "Clemont, look! Those pink flowers are so pretty!"

In the middle of the open space, Pikachu sets his paws by his mouth and calls out a few times, drawing the siblings' combined attention. "What's Pikachu doing?" Bonnie whispers to her brother.

Clemont adjusts his glasses, nonplussed. "I think –" he starts, before rustling cuts him off. A small head pokes out of a clump of flowers across the other side, before the small, white Pokémon cautiously floats out from safety, clinging to its own flower.

"It's a Flabébé!" Bonnie whispers, as the new arrival give a pleased cry and rushes towards Pikachu, swirling around the electric Pokémon and chattering happily. Pikachu seems just as glad to see the Flabébé, his own responses cheerful.

"– I think that these must be Pikachu's friends from the garden," Clemont finishes, watching as several other Pokémon cautiously creep out of the flowerbeds until Pikachu is surrounded by a mismatched group of Pokémon, all greeting Pikachu with happiness. A Furret rushes in and around and around Pikachu, swaddling the electric Pokémon like a furry blanket until Pikachu laughs and escapes. As expected, there are mostly Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon – a Budew shyly comes up to bump against Pikachu's cheek; Pikachu grins and pats it back in a gesture that is eerily reminiscent of Ash – but Clemont can see a Skiddo hiding further back near some trees and there's an Electrike happily wagging its tail, sparks flying between it and Pikachu.

"They seem really happy to see Pikachu," Bonnie comments.

"Well, he is their friend," Clemont reasons, before frowning. "Actually… the last time they would have seen Pikachu was just after they battled Team Rocket the first time. Pikachu was injured; they must be glad to see that he's okay now." The sound of their conversation attracts the group of Pokémon's attention; Clemont startles back a bit when he looks up and finds them all staring his way. "Uh… hi?" he says nervously.

"Hi!" Bonnie calls, apparently unaffected by the stares as she waves happily. "It's nice to meet you, Pikachu's friends!" His sister has nerves of steel.

The group looks torn between fighting and fleeing; Clemont backs up a pace, pulling Bonnie with him, just in case they feel too threatened. He remembers how Pikachu had originally hated anyone trying to come near him when they had first met.

However, Pikachu comes to their rescue. The electric-type jumps in-between the two groups and faces his Pokémon friends, delivering an impassioned speech with much arm-waving. Much to Clemont's relief, the Pokémon seem to be listening to whatever Pikachu is telling them. When the speech is finally done, Pikachu steps back. The first Pokémon to approach them cautiously is the same Budew as before; it hops up to Bonnie, who crouches down to the same level.

"Be careful," Clemont cautions. "They might be like how Pikachu was at first."

Bonnie nods, and holds out a hand to Budew. The Grass Pokémon eyes it warily for a few moments, before coming forward and bopping its head against her palm. Bonnie giggles, gently rubbing Budew's leaves. "Hi, Budew!"

Budew chirps a reply, which seems to be a signal for all the other Pokémon to come over and inspect them. A giggling Bonnie is immediately buried under a pile of Bidoof and Furret, as Flabébé hovers above.

"Bonnie!" Clemont yelps, startled. He reaches out to help her but she is already sitting up with a laugh, Furret draped around her neck like a stole. There's a nudge against his shoe; when he looks down, an Oddish and the Electrike are waiting there. The Electrike nudges his shoes again.

"Hello," Clemont says, the grass making a comfortable seat when he follows Bonnie's example and sits down. He cautiously reaches out to the Electrike, patting it gently. As the electric Pokémon croons approval, the Oddish beside it starts to bounce up and down eagerly. Clemont laughs, patting the impatient Oddish with his other hand. "Alright, alright, you too." Other Pokémon crowd around them, eager for attention. "They're so friendly towards us now," he comments to Bonnie. "I was worried for a moment there."

Bonnie reaches out to stroke a Whirlipede's shell. "Maybe Pikachu told them that we're friends of his and Ash's!" she suggests, glancing up at Pikachu, who has reclaimed his position on her head. The electric Pokémon waves cheerfully. "I mean, those two did save all the garden Pokémon, didn't they?"

"That's certainly true…" Clemont is distracted as the Furret decides to wind itself around his waist. He giggles at the sensation, obligingly scratching Furret behind the ears.

They spend the whole afternoon playing with the garden Pokémon – or rather, Bonnie plays with them, having much more energy to spare, while Clemont sits and watches, usually accompanied by a few Pokémon demanding pats.

He remembers after a while that he brought his own Pokémon along with him on today's outing; they certainly deserve to have some playtime as well, so he calls them out of their Pokéballs. The garden Pokémon are wary at first, but quickly warm up to the newcomers as they had their masters and soon his Pokémon are happily joining in with Bonnie and the garden Pokémon's games.

At some point, the warm sunshine and the peace of the afternoon conspire to let Clemont drift off to sleep. When Bonnie catches sight of him curled up in the grass and dozing, she grins and points it out to Pikachu. Girl and Pokémon dance happily in their victory.

It's much later in the afternoon when Clemont's eyes flutter open blearily. There's a moment of confusion as he wakes – his pillow feels much too spongy to be right and the world around him is too crisp and clear to be his usual morning vision – but memory returns in a rush and has him jolting up in panic. "Bonnie?!"

"Over here!" Bonnie calls. He spots her sitting nearby, making flower chains for the Pokémon sitting around her watching intently. Clemont sighs loudly in relief, hand against his chest as he tries to will his heart to stop pounding frantically. Murmurs of protest and confusion surround him; Clemont looks down, to find himself in the middle of a pile of sleeping Pokémon.

"Huh?!"

"They saw you sleeping and wanted to keep you company," Bonnie explains, weaving flowers together. "Lucky~"

"Oh…" Clemont replies, nonplussed. He glances down at the Pokémon around (and in Furret's case, on) him. "…Sorry for startling you all awake," he apologises. Sleepy murmurs assure him that no-one is angry about their sudden awakening. He glances up at the sky. "It's getting late," he tells Bonnie. "We should probably start heading home."

"Aw," she pouts, but leans forward and gifts her current project to a waiting Budew, who blushes happily and chirps a thank you. Bonnie laughs and pats it on its leaves, before brushing grass and leaves off her skirt. Clemont apologises again to the Pokémon surrounding him as he carefully extracts himself from their midst. His Pokémon return to their Pokéballs.

They wave goodbye to the Pokémon amidst a chorus of farewells. For one heart-stopping moment, Clemont thinks that maybe Pikachu intends to stay in the garden with his other friends – he is, after all, still a wild Pokémon and it seems like this used to be his home. Before he can work up too much of a panic, Pikachu waves one last time to his friends and then comes bounding towards them, leaping onto Bonnie's head.

"You didn't want to stay with your friends, Pikachu?" Bonnie asks, curious, as they begin the trek back to Prism Tower. She's once again skipping ahead of her brother.

Pikachu shakes his head. "Pikapi pikachu."

Clemont nods in understanding. He should have guessed that Pikachu wouldn't want to leave while Ash was still not awake. With a start, he realises that he hasn't worried about fixing Ash almost the entire afternoon. His nap seems to have worked wonders as well; he feels much more refreshed than he did before. _I guess Bonnie was right, a change of pace and some fresh air did do me some good_ , he chuckles to himself. "Thanks, Bonnie."

"Huh? For what?" she asks, spinning around to face him and walking backwards. He keeps an eye on the path ahead of her just in case.

"For today. You were right, it helped a lot." He beams at her.

She stops. Her entire expression brightens, eyes wide and sparkling. "Really?!" At his nod, she spins around with a cheer, before spinning back to face him. "Ah, I mean, of course!" she says, affecting a confident, diffident voice. "I said I'd look after _you_ this time around, after all!"

"And you did," he tells her, grinning as the diffidence drops into a wide smile. "Thanks, Bonnie, I appreciate it."

"No worries!"

"Pipika!"

.

.

.

His good mood persists through his return to the workshop, where he surveys the mess with a critical eye. "Right, it's about time I clean this place up a bit," he tells Pikachu. "I probably won't be getting anything else done tonight, anyway."

So he rolls up his sleeves and gets to work, storing away tools in their proper places or leaving them on the bench if he knows that he'll still need them; rolling up old blueprints and other notes and storing them away in the various cupboards that line the room; even cleaning up his computer desk, so that the books are ordered and stacked neatly and the several abandoned mugs are returned to the kitchen sink to await washing. Pikachu also helps him clean things up by putting away small objects or wiping up spilled drops of oil, or holding things for Clemont as he tries to reorganise the contents of some boxes so that things fit.

Finally, the room is much cleaner and much more organised. Clemont wipes his forehead with a sleeve. "That's better," he comments. "Thanks Pikachu." He looks down at his now filthy clothes; Pikachu isn't in much better condition. "Guess we'd better go get cleaned up before dinner," he comments to the Pokémon sheepishly. Pikachu snorts and climbs onto his shoulder; a bit more grime won't make much difference at this point.

.

.

.

After dinner, he doesn't set foot in the workshop straight away. He's had most of the day off already, he may as well make sure he gets one good night of sleep. He helps his father wash the dinner dishes and helps his sister get ready for bed. He reads Bonnie a bedtime story as well, giving her a kiss goodnight when he is finished. She giggles and smooches his cheek in return. He changes into his own pyjamas; brushes his teeth. Only then does he venture back towards his workshop.

Pikachu grumbles in his ear as he pushes open the door. "Don't worry, I'm not going to work on anything, I'm just saying good night to Ash," Clemont reassures him. "Besides, I'm in my pyjamas now, I can't work." That's a fair stretch of the truth – Clemont _has_ woken up in the middle of the night to work on inventions, and done it in his pyjamas to boot – but true to his word this time, he stays away from computer and tools, taking a seat next to Ash.

"Hey, Ash," he says quietly. "Sorry I didn't get to work on any of your code today; Bonnie came in this morning and dragged me outside…" He recounts the day to Ash briefly, Pikachu chiming in every now and then. "You would have enjoyed it," he finishes. "Maybe once I've fixed all your code and you're awake again, we can go back and you can meet all the garden Pokémon yourself. I know you like meeting new Pokémon." He falls silent, the only sounds the quiet hum of the computer and his and Pikachu's breathing. He looks towards the windows lining the room, gazing out across the sea of lights that is Lumiose City. "I still don't know what to do with the voice code," Clemont confesses, resting head in hands and elbows on knees. "Today was a good break and a nice chance to try and relax, and I'm grateful to Bonnie, but it didn't really help me figure anything out." Pikachu is silent by his knee. "But don't worry!" he scrambles to reassure robot and Pokémon both. "I'll figure something out, just you wait and see." His words are quickly followed by a yawn. Clemont stretches and gets to his feet. "Anyway, I'll get back to work tomorrow morning, first thing." He reaches out, brushing hair out of the robot's eyes. "Good night, Ash."

He turns around and makes his way to the door, stifling another yawn. However, just as his luck would have it, halfway across the room his foot tangles in a cord and Clemont goes sprawling face-first across the cold floor.

"Pipika!" Pikachu cries in alarm, bounding closer.

"Owwww," Clemont groans, struggling to his elbows and rubbing his face. Luckily, it doesn't feel like he's broken anything; it's just going to hurt a lot tomorrow. It hurts a lot right now, in fact. His fingers don't collide with his glasses during his check-over either. With a sigh, Clemont begins feeling around on the floor for his glasses. "I can't believe this, I just cleaned everything up."

"Pikapi?" There's a yellow blur nearby, offering him something. He reaches out and finds Pikachu has retrieved his glasses for him.

"Thanks, Pikachu," he says gratefully, shoving them onto his nose and pushing himself to his knees.

"Pika pipika chu pi," Pikachu scolds. Clemont sighs.

"Yes, I know, I should watch where I'm going next time. I didn't think there was anything on the floor to trip other though, I thought we packed it all away, except for the cables linking Ash to…"

 _'Bro! Hurry up, there's a challenger waiting!'_

 _'Got it! I'm – '_

 _CRAAAAASH!_

Clemont cuts off, whirling around in horror. His eyes are wide. "Oh no, don't tell me I've done it again!"

He scrambles over to the platform, nearly tripping over empty air this time in his haste. Luckily, unlike last time, Ash hasn't fallen off the platform but Clemont isn't going to take any chances. He drops to his knees beside Ash, hurriedly checking for any damage he might have caused by messing with the attached cables.

Much to Clemont's immense relief, he can't find anything amiss. He exhales noisily, settling back on his heels. "Thank goodness!" he says aloud to no-one in particular as he tries to calm his racing heart. He wouldn't have been able to forgive himself if he'd gone and damaged Ash himself after all of this. The remaining nervous jitters mix with the heady rush of relief and bubble up, and Clemont finds himself giggling as Pikachu looks on with confusion. "Sorry," he says through his amusement, trying to explain. "I just – I did the same thing back when I was first making Ash – before you started living here." He looks down at his friend with a fond smile. "Ash wasn't even his name yet back then. I'd just finished programming him, and Bonnie came to get me because a challenger had come to the Gym. I tripped over some cables then, too, but at least Ash isn't injured _this_ time."

"Pikaaa," Pikachu comments, patting Ash on the head.

"Yeah, Ash is lucky that he can't get concussions because he fell onto the floor pretty hard when that happened," Clemont says sheepishly, scratching his head and directing a mental apology Ash's way. "It was just fortunate that it didn't mess up any of his code, I think that was the day I set up the…" His hand slows to a stop, "the voice… code…"

A sudden flash of realisation has Clemont staring down at Ash in shock, his eyes wide. _No. Surely it can't be that easy...?_

"Pipika?" Pikachu asks in concern when he doesn't continue, tugging on his pyjama pants to get his attention. The Pokémon's ears perk up when Clemont directs a gaze bright with excitement towards him.

"I was setting up the voice code!" he exclaims triumphantly. Pikachu flinches at the sudden increase in volume, reminding Clemont that his sister – and probably his father – are fast asleep. "Sorry," Clemont says with a wince, dropping his voice back to a more discreet volume. "I was setting up the voice code!" he repeats in an excited whisper. "I _knew_ I hadn't mixed the password up! That fall must have caused the recording program to malfunction." He frowns, tapping his chin as he thinks furiously. "But it's never been flagged as an error in any of the software checks I've done since then, so the program must have recorded _something_ in its place. Probably something else that I said…" _But what? Come on, Clemont, think! Try to remember what you and Bonnie were talking about…!_

 _'Bro! Hurry up, there's a challenger waiting!'_

 _'Got it! I'm –'_

 _'Ahh! Clembot!'_

 _'What have you made this time?'_

 _'It's a robot to help me out with the Gym. So I can have time to do other stuff as well, since we have so many challengers…'_

Clemont shakes his head, discarding every part of the conversation that he thinks of. _None of it feels_ right, he thinks in frustration. True, it could be anything if the recorder hadn't been functioning properly, but Clemont still feels like he's missing something.

Huffing in annoyance – he's so close to an answer, he can feel it! – Clemont spies a stray lock of hair falling in Ash's eyes, dislodged by his earlier fall. He reaches out and gently brushes it back into place – and then freezes as another part of memory slots into place.

"I know what it is," he whispers in awe, a grin starting to spread on his face that only grows wider. "Oh, Pikachu! I know what the code is!"

He jumps to his feet and hurries to the computer, Pikachu hot on his heels. Although only a few seconds, it seems to take forever for the computer to boot up from sleep mode as Clemont taps impatiently on the desk. When it loads, he navigates to the file marked with a red flag with barely contained anticipation.

 _*ACCESS DENIED._

 _*VOICE CODE REQUIRED._

Clemont takes a deep breath, suddenly nervous. This is it, he knows this is _it_ , but in the back of his mind, the seed of doubt remains. He leans forward, bracing his hands on the desk, and speaks clearly.

"I'm the Gym Leader, Clemont. Please bear with me from today on."

It feels like an eternity as he waits for the computer to process the data. He swallows nervously. Beside him, Pikachu is staring at the screen avidly.

The computer beeps.

 _*VOICE CODE OK._

 _*FILE ACCESS GRANTED._

 _*ENABLE MASTER RECOGNITION MODE? Y/N_

"It… it worked? Oh my goodness, it worked!" Clemont says excitedly. "Yes!" He jumps with excitement, unable to contain his absolute glee as he spins around. "We did it, Pikachu!" he laughs, coming to a stop. Pikachu cheers, waving his arms excitedly.

They remember at the same time that they should be trying to stay quiet for the sake of the others sleeping down the hallway and cover their mouths sheepishly. After a minute of listening intensely, Clemont decides that they have managed not to disturb his family despite the noise. He beams at Pikachu as his hand drops, his eyes sparkling.

"I know I said I wouldn't do anything tonight," he whispers to Pikachu, pulling out the chair and sitting down, "but it can't hurt to quickly check it since it's working now, right?" His fingers stretch over the keys, awaiting his decision.

The dialogue box remains, white letters glowing on the screen.

 _*ENABLE MASTER RECOGNITION MODE? Y/N_

Outside of a battle, this mode is just an extra safety precaution designed to prevent unintended changes to Ash's AI system. Since Clemont only intends to look at the file right now, not edit it, he opts not to turn it on.

 _*N_

 _*MASTER RECOGNITION MODE NOT ENABLED._

The dialogue box blinks away, leaving the file behind, open at last. Clemont reaches for the mouse, excitement flaring up again. Here is one of Ash's core files, one of several that are specifically part of the learning capabilities of the AI system. Considering how often Ash makes a habit of ignoring the logic built into his default AI, this is Clemont's chance to finally understand how his friend thinks – in code form, at least. Most of the code in this file would be information and procedures that the AI system has written itself, without any input from Clemont.

"Now, let's see what's in here…" he says, eagerly scrolling through the code.

And scrolling…

And… scrolling…

His eyes dart over the screen, glee slowly fading into confusion and then dismay as he moves further down the page. He scrolls slower and slower, tendrils of dread curdling in his stomach and wrapping his heart in their icy grip. "What… what is this…?" he whispers, shoulders slumping.

The code is completely scrambled.

"This isn't – this can't be – "

This is one of Ash's _core files!_ Clemont was expecting _some_ damage, based on what he's seen of the other files that Team Rocket's program attacked, but nothing like _this_. Logically, it shouldn't have even been affected at all – after all, even Clemont has been locked out of the file until now.

"I don't – I don't understand –" he says weakly, feeling faint. The file before him is nothing like the one he originally wrote. There are whole sections that have been blacked out or turned into unintelligible gibberish; random words changed into weird symbols that might be Pokédings; literally nothing is in any coding syntax that Clemont recognises. There are sections that cut off mid-word, only to turn up further on in the file with half their variables missing.

This is part of Ash's learning AI; part of what makes his Ash, well, _Ash_.

And it's a complete ruin.

 _I can't bring Ash back if his core code is corrupted like this!_

The screen blurs, but Clemont is barely conscious of the tears burning at the corners of his eyes. It's too hard to breathe; his heart clenches painfully in his chest. Clemont hunches over the keyboard, body trembling.

"Pipika!"

"I – I can't fix this," he chokes out, fingernails digging into his arms, tears sliding down his cheeks in a flood to splash against the desk and the keyboard. "I don't – it's all corrupted, I don't even know what it says, _I can't fix this, how am I supposed to get Ash back if his code is like this?!_ "

A dim part of him is aware of Pikachu shaking at his arm in terrified concern, aware that he's starting to hyperventilate in his panic. But he can't calm down, not when a major part of Ash's code might be broken beyond repair and _if this file is broken that means that his Ash is gone gone gone because most of Ash's mind was stored in that file and it's broken and he doesn't know how – to – fix – it –_

Clemont doesn't notice when Pikachu abandons his attempt at comfort and darts for the door, too caught up in his panic and his struggle to breathe. He doesn't hear Meyer's shocked, "Clemont!" as his father follows a frantic Pikachu back into the workshop, doesn't see Pikachu gesture at him desperately, unsure of what to do. Doesn't see his father approach him hesitantly, reaching out.

"Clemont? Clemont? Can you hear me?"

The heavy, comforting weight of his father's hand on his shoulder helps to ground him somewhat. His throat is too choked up to force out words, so he nods, eyes shut. There's a note of relief in his father's voice when he speaks, although he keeps up a calm tone. "Good. That's good. You're having a panic attack, Clemont. You need to breathe properly. Come on, breathe with me, that's it. One, two, three…"

As his father counts to ten and back, Clemont struggles to match his father's pace, his breaths coming harsh and haggard. His father rubs his back, murmuring encouragement between counts; small paws latch onto one of his hands, Pikachu counting along with Meyer encouragingly. With an agonising slowness, the choked feeling fades, the panic receding bit by bit until only the nauseous dread remains, curled up in his gut.

"There we go," Meyer says approvingly, still rubbing circles against his back. "Better?" Clemont nods, keeping his eyes shut for now. "That's good. How do you feel?"

"Terrible, "Clemont replies honestly, sniffling. His voice is rough, words scraping against his throat. In response, Meyer simply wraps his arms around him in a comforting hug. Clemont clings back, burying his face against his father's shoulder. The material of his father's tshirt is soft under his cheek, rapidly turning darker as it soaks up the tears still running down his cheeks. He sniffles.

"…Do you want to tell me what happened?" Meyer asks after a few moments, his voice still quiet and calm. Clemont is grateful that his father doesn't insist, even though it must have been rather a fright for him to follow a frantic Pokémon and find his son on the verge of a panic attack at the other end.

So he gathers his courage and his words, and tries to explain. "I can't…" His hands, fisted in his father's shirt, clench tighter. Even the mere thought of it brings fresh tears to his eyes that spill across his cheeks. "Papa, Papa, I can't fix him," he sobs, body shaking as he cries. "I can't fix him!"

Meyer makes calming noises, patting his son's back soothingly. "Ash?" he asks. Clemont nods shakily, still refusing to look up. "Of course you can fix him, Clemont," Meyer tells him. "You've been doing an amazing job so far!"

A dispirited shake of the head. "No?" his father asks, surprise evident in his voice. "…Why not?"

Clemont swallows, throat feeling tight again. He takes a few deep breathes – in, out, in, out – and pulls back slightly from his father, wiping fruitlessly at the wetness on his cheeks. "I – I finally unlocked that file I've been having trouble with…"

His voice trails away; even talking about it hurts as keenly as it had only a few minutes ago, the pain of his realisation still fresh. His father, not understanding, brightens. "But that's great news, Clemont! Well done!"

Clemont squeezes his eyes shut. "I thought so too, but –" His voice breaks. "That file… a whole chunk of Ash's code… it's completely corrupted!"

Meyer's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "You can fix that though, surely? After all, you wrote it in the first place!"

Clemont shakes his head, hair flicking wildly. "Not this part," he whispers. His father still looks confused. "Ash has a learning AI," he tries to explain, miserable. "I might have written t-the original c-code, but most of that file, the AI wrote itself as Ash – as Ash grew. Even if I can manage to rewrite what was there… he'll be missing a lot of what made him the way that he is. I don't – I don't think I could bear it, if Ash wasn't…" His voice trails off as he tries a futile attempt to scrub away his tears again, merely sniffling loudly.

There is silence for a few moments, until Clemont continues in a small voice, "…What if he doesn't remember us…?"

That is his true fear, brought to the forefront of his mind and looming ever closer ever since he'd cried as he cradled Ash's unresponsive body in his ruined Gym. The idea that his robot – his best friend – will be lost forever to him. This unexpected blow to his hopes is the final straw in a long trail of devastation; Clemont isn't sure how much energy he has left to spare, if all he's going to do is continually run into problems that tear at his heart. He wants to give up, because everything just seems so hopeless at the moment… but then, the very idea of doing _that_ tears at his heart just as much – because he can't give up, it's _Ash._

"Oh, Clemont," his father says sadly. The amount of sympathy in Meyer's voice spurs on a fresh wave of tears that wobble at the corner of Clemont's eyes, and he finds himself being pulled in for another fierce hug. "I know, of _course_ that would hurt a lot. He's your best friend, after all – Ash means a lot to you and your sister, and I know that you both mean a lot to Ash as well." His father draws back, meeting his son's tearful gaze. "But that's why, if he doesn't remember you… you'll just have to become best friends once again!" Meyer flashes an encouraging smile at Clemont. "You can't let the fear of failure stop you, not when you've come so far. Besides, you can't give in until the very end! – isn't that what Ash always says?"

Clemont acknowledges the truth of his words with a hum. His father is right; he can't just give up now. It's easy to imagine Ash nodding sagely along with his father's words, directing an encouraging grin Clemont's way. _No matter how much it hurts_ , he thinks, placing a hand over his heart like the pain he feels is from a tangible wound. _I couldn't bear it if Ash woke up and didn't remember me, but… even worse is a world where Ash doesn't wake up at all._ He sniffles, using his sleeve in a more successful attempt to wipe away the tearstains on his cheeks.

Meyer makes a thoughtful noise, drawing Clemont's attention. "Oh, I was just thinking," Meyer says in response to his questioning glance, amusement dancing in his eyes. He glances over at Ash as he continues. "You did a remarkable job when you built Ash; that boy is always managing to do things beyond what I would have thought capable." He chuckles quietly. "I wouldn't be surprised if he remembered you out of sheer stubbornness, no matter what state his programming was in."

A weak laugh escapes Clemont before he can think, startling him. "That's Ash alright…" he agrees, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smile as he too glances the robot's way.

They quietly observe Ash for a few long moments, until Meyer breaks the silence with a sigh. "I wish I could help you," he admits, brows drawn. "But to tell you the truth, you surpassed any skill that I had with all of this," he waves a hand at the workshop, "by the time you were six, so I'm not sure there's anything I could help you with."

"It's okay, Papa –"

His father holds up a hand, forestalling him, before he fixes Clemont with a serious gaze. "But I'll say again, remember, if you need anything – even if it's just a hug! – I'm here, Clemont. I may not be able to help you much, but I can support you, at least."

It's easier to smile this time, some of his sorrow fading into the background. "Thanks, Papa, I know," he reassures his father, and takes him up on the offer straight away by throwing his arms around him. Meyer chuckles and hugs him back, full of reassurance and love and everything that Clemont loves about his father's hugs.

"Pikachu!" pipes up another voice. Clemont breaks away from the hug to look towards the desk, where a relieved Pikachu is waiting. "Pikachu pika!"

"You'll support me too?" Clemont asks, smile growing stronger still. "Thank you, Pikachu." He reaches out to scratch the electric Pokémon's head; Pikachu leans into his hand, nuzzling against it with a happy whine of pleasure. "I'm sorry for scaring you before," Clemont tells the Pokémon, guilt tugging the corners of his smile down again.

Pikachu shakes his head. "Chuu! Pipika!" The Pokémon reaches out and pats Clemont's hand in a clear gesture of 'don't worry about it'. "Pika pika!"

"Better?" Meyer asks.

Clemont thinks for a moment, assessing himself. He nods. "A little bit."

"Sleep will help even more," his father points out, standing up with a groan. Pikachu yawns widely, nodding sleepy agreement. "You should go to bed. If you get some good rest, then maybe it'll be easier to see a clear way through this problem when you wake up tomorrow. Besides," he adds, hands on hips, "You won't be able to help Ash at all if you just make yourself sick again by working yourself too hard and stressing out!"

Clemont wilts a bit under the admonishment. "I know," he says, looking down. He spares a glance for Ash and his computer, the file that has caused so much grief still open on the screen. However, the intense ups and downs of his night have left him feeling too emotionally drained to feel up to doing anything, even if he _had_ a solution to the corrupted file. Which he doesn't.

Sleep is sounding like the best course of action.

Exhaustion starts to creep in, no longer held at bay by his earlier panicking. His body feels devoid of any energy; putting one foot in front of the other is about the most he can achieve. _It's a good thing I was already dressed for bed_ , he thinks drowsily as he climbs into bed. Pikachu leaps up onto the bed, curling up next to Clemont's pillow as his father makes sure the sheets are properly drawn over him.

"You have a good heart, Clemont," he hears his father say, a hand ruffling his hair as he drifts off to sleep. "I'm proud of you."

Despite all odds, Clemont drifts off to sleep with a small smile on his face.

/\/\/\

Clemont's eyes blink open, the world dark around him. He groans, rubbing at his face and wincing when his fuzzy mind finally registers that the gritty feel to his skin is from dried teartracks. With a sigh, he glances over at his alarm clock, squinting at the glowing numbers. It might say two in the morning. Then again, it might also be five in the morning. Clemont sighs again and gropes around for his glasses, shoving them onto his nose.

It's two in the morning.

He returns his glasses to the bedside table, flopping back down onto his pillow and staring up at his blurry, pitch-dark ceiling. Barely three hours of sleep has not been enough to make him feel refreshed; if anything, Clemont feels just as tired as ever. Toss and turn and try as though he might, however, he can't seem to fall asleep.

He looks over at the clock again. The blurs look almost identical as before.

Clemont sighs and goes back to staring at the ceiling.

Beside him, Pikachu mumbles something in his sleep, ears twitching. He listens to the quiet pattern of Pikachu's breathing, hoping that it will lull him back to sleep. After several minutes and no such luck, Clemont sighs and gives in. _Looks like I'm not going back to sleep any time soon_.

He scrubs at his face again, wanting to remove the evidence of last night. The memory of the corrupted file, and how it had sent his hopes crashing down, is still extremely painful. Clemont pokes at the memory, flinching away as another wave of despair threatens to well up. _I can't give up_ , he tells himself fiercely, clenching his hands. _No matter how hopeless it seems, I can't give up on Ash. I refuse to!_

Even so, his panic from the previous night is based in truth: Clemont honestly has no idea what to do with this revelation or how to fix it. Parts of the file are salvageable, but the majority of it…

Had the damage been caused by Team Rocket's attempt at mind-controlling Ash? Or had it happened even earlier, maybe even a result of crashing into the floor when an unwary inventor tripped over some cables? The problem is that Clemont can't be sure. That file has been locked – by him – for almost as long as Ash has been awake. He's never succeeded in opening it before; there is no way of knowing how long it's been like that. Of course, it's far more likely that it _has_ been caused by Team Rocket; surely even Ash couldn't function all this time with such an integral file in such a glitched-out state!

However, Clemont is willing to cling to even the slightest sliver of hope, if it means that the Ash he knows can come back unharmed. And if not, well…

…he'll just have to do as his father said and start from the beginning again. It's still better than never having Ash in his life.

Troubled, Clemont throws back the covers – gently laying them down at the last minute to avoid disturbing the Pokémon sleeping soundly beside him. He's a little envious of Pikachu as he swings his feet down and pads across the cold floor to the window, wrapping the blanket around him as he moves. He rests his arms on the sill and his forehead against the cool glass, looking out at the city far below. Lumiose is beautiful at night; it isn't called the City of Lights for nothing, after all.

As beautiful as the sight of the city is though, it doesn't make Clemont feel any more able to sleep. He sighs, breath misting against the glass. His entire body feels drained of energy, but his mind is still frustratingly awake.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spies something on his desk glinting in the moonlight. Curiosity piqued, Clemont makes his way to the desk, the blanket trailing behind him like a long robe.

' _Here, you earned this_.'

He stares down at the Voltage Badge resting on his palm. Ash had been so excited about everything; an excitement that has never really worn off, no matter how used to things the robot became. Clemont had been excited too; eager to see what his creation was capable of. The match they had shared had been heart-pounding fun, but confusing. Right from the very start, Ash has been ignoring his programming and acting on instincts that a mere machine shouldn't have. Ash has never been a mere machine though; even if his friend had been born human, Clemont still doubts he would have been a 'mere' anything.

He knows now where he needs to be.

His fingers close around the badge gently. The floor is already turning his bare feet numb but he doesn't stop for his slippers as he walks out of the room, gripping the blanket close around him with his other hand. As he leaves, Pikachu's ears twitch; the Pokémon raises his head blearily in time to see Clemont slip out the door. Pikachu stretches and leaps down from the bed, catching up to Clemont quickly.

"Sorry," Clemont whispers, contrite. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Pikachu shakes his head and climbs up his pyjamas to settle on his shoulder. The small Pokémon nuzzles against his cheek, wordlessly offering his support and love. Clemont's answering smile is small but genuine. The smile disappears when his feet lead him to the closed door of his workshop. For a moment he stares at the door, the apprehension gripping his insides a sharp déjà vu. He takes a deep breath, fingering the edges of the Voltage Badge still clutched in his hand, and pushes open the door.

The moon is full tonight; the windows lining the workshop allow moonlight to spill into the room and burnish everything silver. Clemont doesn't turn on the light, instead making his way towards the centre of the workshop by moonlight and memory. _Just as well I cleaned up in here yesterday_.

Ash looks almost ethereal in the moonlight, skin glowing and hair dark as the silver light sinks into it. Clemont kneels down beside Ash's still figure, blanket settling around his heels. Pikachu jumps down to sit beside them both.

For a long time, Clemont simply stares at the still face of his best friend. It's all too easy to imagine that Ash is alive, and human, and simply sleeping – but he is too still. Even without needing to breathe, Ash is always in motion. _Was_ always in motion.

 _And will be again,_ Clemont thinks fiercely, fingers clenching. _I won't give up, Ash._

The room suddenly seems too silent, too still. "I'm sorry," he whispers, reaching out to brush Ash's fringe away from his eyes. The robot's hat rests beside him, now clean of grime and dust. Clemont suspects his father may have had something to do with that. "I'm sorry that this happened, and I'm sorry I'm not good enough yet to fix you properly. I figured out the voice code but… your file is corrupt, Ash. It's so filled with glitches and errors I don't even know where to start. I don't even know what it used to say, beyond the starting point I gave it. I don't… I have absolutely no idea how to fix it, and I'm sorry. But I'll do my best to make sure you wake up as you."

"I'm still scared," he confesses. "This whole time, I've been afraid. Of seeing you broken, of seeing what those thieves did to your code…. that you won't wake up again, or that you'll wake up and have forgotten us, or even that you'll wake up completely different." Clemont takes a deep breath, thumbing the corner of the badge still in his hand. "That fight we had, the day out in the rain… the truth is… I was scared then too. I hadn't realised just how strongly you wanted to achieve your dream. I didn't want you to go on a Pokémon journey across Kalos because it's so dangerous out there for you, but…" Clemont slumps in misery. "It ended up being just as dangerous for you to stay here too."

He opens his hand, looking down at the Voltage Badge gleaming innocently in the moonlight. He lets go of the blanket, shivering as the cool night air hits him, and reaches for one of Ash's hands. Ever so gently, Clemont places the symbol of their Gym, the badge that Ash himself had awarded Clemont, in the robot's palm and closes Ash's fingers around it. "Well," he says, determination steeling his words and his spine, "I've made my decision now. About all of this." He cracks a small smile. "But if you want to know what my decision is… you'll have to wake up and hear it from me properly." His grin widens as he imagines Ash pouting at him. ' _That's no fair, Clemont!'_

Clemont falls silent again, still holding onto Ash's hand. Pikachu stays beside him, a silent sentinel in the hush of the night. "There's – there's something that I should have told you, a long time ago," Clemont says eventually, swallowing against the sudden lump in his throat. "I think… I think maybe you knew already, without me needing to say it, though. I hope you did, anyway."

He closes his eyes and breathes evenly ( _in-out-in-out_ ), trying to calm the tight feeling in his chest. "You are my greatest invention," he tells the robot, voice solemn and choked with unspoken emotion, "and my best friend."

"I need you," Clemont takes a deep breath, shuddering, "to be okay."

He leans down, resting his forehead against Ash's. The robot's skin is unnaturally cool without the various heating elements running. "Ash, you always manage to do the impossible… so could you do the impossible one more time for me, please? Please wake up properly."

Clemont pulls back slightly, hesitating, and then leans down to brush his lips against Ash's forehead in a good night kiss. "Good night, Ash."

He pulls back all the way this time and has to stifle a yawn that threatens to crack his jaw. Finally, _finally_ he feels tired enough to get some rest. He glances at the door, yawning again, but with the speed he can feel himself being pulled under, he'll be lucky to even make the door with his fading strength.

Instead, he scoots over until he can lay down on the platform beside Ash, drawing the blanket over his shoulders. His glasses go above his head, beside Ash's hat. Pikachu waits until he settles before climbing onto Ash and curling up to sleep on the robot's chest. There's no pillow, but it won't be the first time Clemont has fallen asleep in uncomfortable circumstances. Being here, close to Ash, offers a peace that his bedroom cannot.

"G'night Ash, g'night Pikachu," he mumbles, barely hearing Pikachu's murmured reply before he fades off to sleep.

* * *

 _I'm sorryyyyyyyy -flees-_

 _Poor Clemont D: Bet y'all didn't think I'd make things even_ worse _mwahaha_  
 _It can only go up from here though! And on that note, only two more chapters to go! We're so close to the end!_

 _As always, thank you very much for reading! :D_


	19. Chapter 19

_Second last chapter! :O So close!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 19**_

"– mont? Clemont! _Clemont!_ "

Clemont startles awake, groggily looking up at the blur that is shaking his arm insistently. He gropes around for his glasses and the blur resolves into his sister staring down at him. "Wha – Bonnie? What's wrong?"

 _Wait… staring_ down _at me?_

He sits up with a groan, body protesting at the uncomfortable position it has been in all night. The sight of Ash beside him and his workshop around him brings memory flooding back, of his quiet confessions in the moonlight. _Guess I really did end up falling asleep here then._

Bonnie makes a face at him. "Geez Clemont, don't tell me you worked all night again! And you promised, too!"

Clemont blinks, recently-woken mind still trying to process things. _Worked all night…?_ he wonders in confusion, before realising that Bonnie had gone to bed before he'd gone to say good night to Ash, and found the key to the file that had caused so much grief.

 _She doesn't know_ , he realises, staring at her aggrieved pout. Then and there, he decides not to tell her about the corrupt file. It's better for Bonnie to keep the hope that Ash will come back to them as himself.

Still, even with that decided, he doesn't want her to worry about him. "I wasn't working," he protests, stretching. "I just came in to say good night to Ash and fell asleep, that's all. Right, Pikachu?" He reaches out a hand, ruffling Pikachu's ears.

"Pipika pika," Pikachu agrees with a mumble, still waking up. He uncurls and stretches with a whine, before bounding over Clemont and into Bonnie's arms.

She giggles. "Oh, alright, if _Pikachu_ says you weren't…" Bonnie darts in, pressing a kiss to her brother's cheek and one to Ash's. "Good morning! Papa's making breakfast," she adds. "So make sure you come and eat!"

"I will, I will," Clemont promises, getting to his feet with a groan. "Ouch…"

"That's what you get for not sleeping in your bed, silly!" his sister admonishes. "Come on, Pikachu, let's help Papa!"

He can smell breakfast cooking as Bonnie skips out of the room and his stomach rumbles eagerly. Huffing a laugh at himself, he starts to fold up the blanket – he'll take it down to his room after breakfast – and pauses halfway through placing the pillow on top of the stack. _I didn't bring a pillow with me last night…_ he thinks in confusion. _Someone must have…_

He glances towards the doorway. _Thanks, Papa._

Although his father hides it well, Clemont can still tell by the way his gaze lingers a little too long, the way his hug is a little bit fiercer than usual, that his father is worried about him again. Clemont doesn't blame him. The day after Ash collapsing had been hard; last night had been just as painful… but somehow, his midnight confession to Ash has quietened some of his worries. They still linger in the back of his mind, but they aren't as all consuming as they have been until now. Ash is good at pulling off miracles – Clemont just has to believe in Ash and do the best he can in support.

Speaking of support…

He toys with his fork, unsure how to bring up the topic as his father and sister chat over breakfast. Luckily, his father seems to pick up on the fact that Clemont is not in as bad shape as he had feared and has therefore relaxed somewhat. _Should I just say it straight outright? Explain my reasoning? What if he doesn't approve?_

"Is everything alright, Clemont?" His father's voice breaks through his fretful thoughts.

Clemont startles at the sudden attention. "Uh, well, um…."

 _Pull yourself together, Clemont!_

He thinks of the blueprints scattered across his workbench, evidence of redesigns that are sturdier and more durable than what they were before. He thinks of the code he's already fixed, making it run more efficiently than ever before. He thinks of a bright grin, a robot, and a desire to go outside and see the world.

 _'I want to become a Pokémon Master!'_

Clemont straightens up, putting his fork down and meeting his father's gaze. "Actually, Papa, there's something that I've been thinking about…"

/\/\/\

Another week passes by; Clemont spends every waking moment furiously cleaning up Ash's code, stopping only when his family drags him away for meals and sleep or when his eyes start to feel sore from staring at a screen for hours upon end. Every now and then, he opens the glitched AI file in the hopes of fixing it but nothing ever springs to mind and eventually he leaves it as it is, praying that it won't affect anything else. Code aside, there's still a few minor adjustments to be made to Ash's wiring as well. Sometimes Pikachu and Bonnie stay in the workshop with him while he does them, helping by passing him tools while he works.

Today, however, is the day that all of his hard work finally pays off.

 _I hope,_ he prays.

Clemont taps the final few keys with a flourish, uploading the last pieces of code to Ash's memory backs. He sits back with a sigh, wiping a sleeve across his forehead. "There, done!" he announces to the room at large.

Bonnie and Pikachu, the two of them chatting as they sprawl next to Ash, perk up at this news. "Really?!" Bonnie gasps, leaping to her feet. "It's all finished? We can wake him up?!" Beside her, Pikachu's face is full of hope.

He grins at his sister, spinning his chair around to face her. "Yep! Just as soon as these files transfer."

"Yes!" she cheers, throwing her hands up in the air. "Pikachu, Pikachu, Ash will wake up soon! I can't wait!"

"Pika pikapi! Pikapi pika!"

The two of them dance around the workshop. Clemont chuckles. "Be careful, you two," he calls, turning back to the screen to check on the file transfer. "You don't want to make Ash worry if he wakes up and finds you injured."

"Okay!" Bonnie calls back. "Don't worry!"

Clemont makes a face at the screen where his sister can't see. _Don't worry?_ A huff of wry laughter escapes him. _I wish I could._

There was just so much to worry about and not just for his sister's safety. The worry has mostly been lurking in the back of his mind this morning, Clemont too focused on getting the last few files properly prepped. Now, however, watching the green bar creep across the screen towards completion just gives Clemont's mind ample time to consider every worse-case scenario.

 _What if he doesn't wake up at all what if he wakes up with no memory of me or Bonnie what if he just wakes up_ wrong _because I've messed something up or missed something –_

 _Stop it,_ he scolds himself, frowning at his trembling hands. _There's nothing you can do if any of that happens! I've double-and triple-checked every single file in Ash's system, there's no way that I could have missed anything. There's only that one file I couldn't fix, but I'm not even sure it_ could _be fixed without completely wiping it and starting again and somehow that just feels… wrong. And if he doesn't wake up at all, then there's something wrong with the boot file or the wiring, but that's_ fixable. _It's a moot point anyway, because I ran about a thousand diagnostic tests on his hardware and none of them found any problems._

"Don't give up til the very end," he whispers, clenching his fingers. "I have to believe that Ash will be okay."

The computer beeps to signal that the file transfer is complete. Clemont leaps to his feet, apprehension jolting through his gut. Bonnie and Pikachu come to perch on the edge of the platform as Clemont carefully disconnects the cables linking Ash to the computer and seals all the panels shut. A strong sense of déjà vu hits him then, a memory of Bonnie and himself waiting for Ash to wake up after Clemont had first redesigned his body. There hadn't been the same underlying fear that time; he'd had no reason to worry about Ash failing to wake up as his former self.

This time, however, the fear is mounting with every second, twisting his stomach as he gently lays Ash back down on the platform. He settles in next to Ash, swallowing thickly as he tries to push away his nerves. _He'll be okay, he'll be okay, he'll be okay…_

He meets Bonnie's eyes across Ash, eagerness shining within them. She grins and nods encouragingly at him; Pikachu does the same when Clemont glances towards him. _Alright_ , he thinks to himself, taking a deep breath to steady himself. _This is it…!_

"Activate!" he commands, voice clear. "It's time to wake up, Ash."

On the very edge of his hearing, there's a whirring noise as Ash's systems start to boot up. _That's a good sign!_ His fingers unconsciously find Ash's wrist, pressing against the pseudo pulse point to feel the hum of the electricity. It's the first sign of life in Ash that he's been able to feel in a very long time.

Seconds tick by, but Ash doesn't open his eyes. Clemont's fingers tighten around his friend's wrist. _Come on, Ash, come on…!_

"He's not… why's he not waking up, Clemont?" Bonnie asks, her voice small. Her hands find Ash's other hand, curling around them protectively as though she wants to pull him into the waking world herself. "He should be, right?"

"Just wait a bit more," Clemont replies, heart in his mouth. "His system has to run through all of the changes to his code that I made; a full system reboot could take a couple of minutes."

"Pikapi…" Pikachu says, ears drooping with worry.

The three of them wait in tense silence as the seconds tick by, clutching their friend's hands. Every passing second is another added weight on Clemont's heart. _Come on, Ash, please wake up! Please! Please don't tell me everything I've done wasn't enough…_

Then Ash's fingers abruptly twitch, a split-second warning before his whole body shudders. Clemont's breath catches at the sign of a full reboot and he leans forward urgently. "Ash? Can you hear me?"

Ash's eyes remain closed, but his eyebrows furrow. "Welcome… Lumiose…" he mumbles. Clemont's heart jolts, joy at finally hearing his best friend's voice after so long dropping into gut-churning fear. _That's… that's what he said the very first time I activated him_ , he thinks, stricken. _It's a greeting that's still part of the standard coding…_

"Ash…?" he asks, voice wavering. His grip on Ash's hand tightens without thinking.

The robot's frown grows deeper, mouth twisting downwards in distaste. "Nnngh… five more minutes, mmkay?"

Clemont freezes. _That's not part of the standard greetings…!_

His heart soaring with hope, he looks across at Bonnie. His sister is smiling widely, tears starting to shine in the corners of her eyes. With a start, he realises that his own vision is starting to grow blurry with unshed tears and he snatches off his glasses, scrubbing at his eyes with his free arm, his other still clutching Ash's hand tightly.

"Aw, Ash! You don't even need to sleep!" Bonnie scolds, her voice filled with watery laughter. "Hurry and get up already!"

Ash stills. "…'nie…?" he mumbles, one eye cracking open.

Pikachu's ears perk up. "Pikapi!" the Pokémon exclaims joyfully, leaning in to nuzzle at Ash's face. Ash chuckles, turning his face into the touch. "Heyyyyy 'kachu..." Both his eyes open properly; a confused look crosses Ash's face as brown eyes flit around, before they finally land on Clemont. Ash grins at him sleepily, eyes _bright_ and very much the friend Clemont knows. "Clemont! There you are!" He closes his eyes again. "Was having the _weirdest_ dream…"

Clemont beams, his heart feeling full to bursting. "Hi Ash," he says softly, tears losing their battle with gravity and starting to slide down his cheeks. He sniffs, wiping his face with his free arm. "Thank goodness, you remember us…?"

Ash frowns up at him in confusion. "Yeah, 'course I remember you guys! We're family, remember?" he adds proudly. "Like I'd forget!"

Clemont's smile is so wide that it hurts, but he can't stop smiling, can't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. He doesn't even bother to try. "I'm so g-glad that y-you're alright!"

Ash's eyes widen. "Hey, hey, no, don't cry, why are you crying?!" He looks to Bonnie for help, only to find that her eyes are wet as well as she grins at him. "Why are you _both_ crying?!" Ash struggles to sit up, his movements stiff and limbs somewhat uncoordinated.

"Ah, watch out! It'll take some time for your body to adjust again," Clemont says hurriedly, he and Bonnie both reaching out to help Ash sit up. "Take it easy, your body hasn't moved at all in about three weeks…"

"Three weeks…?" Ash repeats, looking bewildered. "But…"

His protests are cut off when Pikachu leaps into his lap and then launches himself at Ash's chest with a joyful, "Pikapi!" Clemont and Bonnie are barely a moment behind, flinging their arms around their friend and hugging him with every ounce of strength in their body. "H-Hey!" Ash protests, half-laughing. "It's okay, I'm not going anywhere…"

Clemont buries his face against Ash's shoulder, tears spilling out uncontrollably in the headiness of joy and sheer, utter relief. "It's you!" he half-sobs, half-laughs. "It's really you, it's really you…!"

"We were so worried!" Bonnie adds, tearful. "But you're back…!"

Ash's arms curl around them both, pulling them more closely to him. He rests his chin on their shoulders. "It's me," he agrees. "Hey, hey, hey, there's no need to cry, it's okay, I'm alright, everyone's okay… _please_ don't cry, Clemont, Bonnie…"

"Happy tears," they remind him, voices muffled against his shirt.

"…Even if you say that, I'm still kinda worried…" Clemont chuckles against his shoulder; it's all too easy to imagine Ash's sceptical look. Even so, Ash makes no effort to move. He just continues to hold his small family as they cling to him, humming under his breath to calm them.

Eventually, Clemont's tears subside enough to leave him sniffling against Ash's shirt. Like Ash, he makes no effort to move either, content to just sit there and revel in the knowledge that Ash is _alive_ and _here_ with him and apparently in full possession of his memory. He turns his head to tuck it in against the side of Ash's face, nose buried in dark hair, and just _breathes_. Unsurprisingly, Ash smells of metal and oil, but Clemont can still recognise it all as _his_ robot. For the first time in weeks, the great weight pressing down on his shoulders is lifted. All his hard work, all his worrying, all of his sleepless nights and missed meals, they have been _worth it_ , worth it all to have Ash back with them again.

The three of them stay bundled together for quite some time; Pikachu is content to curl up in Ash's lap, head pillowed on his calf. Clemont is starting to drowse, stress and late nights starting to catch up with him, when he realises that Ash's humming has become quiet words. "– so glad you're both okay; I don't remember anything after the Gym collapsing, but that was so scary! I was worried that maybe you both had been injured or something, but you're okay, and I'm okay, and I'm… I'm sorry for putting you both through so much, what with Team Rocket, and having to fight each other, and the Gym….. and how much you must have done to get me back like _this_ , I remember I was pretty banged up…"

Bonnie nods against Ash's shirt, pulling back to meet his eyes. Aside from her blotchy cheeks, all signs of her tears have faded away. "You went away again," she accuses, mouth set stubbornly. "You promised you wouldn't and you did it again!"

"Not by choice," Ash tells her sadly. "But I did, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me?"

Bonnie nods, accepting the apology. "Clemont worked so hard to make sure you were okay," she informs Ash, her voice solemn as she looks at him earnestly. "He was so sad all the time."

Clemont can't bear the crestfallen look on Ash's face at his sister's words. "Ash –"

He is cut off by Ash hugging him fiercely. The strength of the hug makes Clemont's collection of bruises twinge in pain, but he ignores them, too surprised by Ash resting his head against his shoulder. "Thank you, Clemont," Ash breathes. "Thank you for trying so hard." He meets Clemont's gaze, beaming with that bright inner light that makes him almost glow in the sunshine streaming through the windows. " _Thank you_."

 _As if there would ever be a world where I didn't try my absolute best to bring you back!_ Gently, Clemont rest his forehead against Ash's. "Thank _you_ ," he counters. "For coming back whole. It's – I'm so glad to see you."

Ash reaches up, brushing Clemont's cheek with a thumb. "Even though you're crying again?" Ash asks, worry in his eyes.

He is, Clemont realises with a jolt. Completely unbidden and without warning, tears are starting to spill down his cheeks again as the relief and joy inside him overflows, too much for his body to contain. It's a wonder he has any water left in his body. "I told you, they're happy tears," he smiles, curling one of his own hands around the one resting on his cheek. "I promise you, these ones are _definitely_ happy."

"Yeah!" Bonnie agrees. "'Cause we love you!"

Clemont beams at Ash. "We really do," he agrees.

Ash brightens, his worry over their saddened state finally reassured by their words. "I love you guys too!" he laughs, hugging them both again.

His laughter is infectious; despite the tears on his cheeks, Clemont soon finds himself giggling uncontrollably along with Ash and Bonnie. When the laughter finally dies down, his sister stretches up to kiss Ash's cheek. "Welcome back, Ash!" Without waiting for a reply, she leans across and plants a kiss on Clemont's cheek as well. "And good work, Clemont!"

A sweet smile on her face, she leans over to kiss Pikachu on the head as well. "And one for you too, Pikachu!"

Pikachu blushes faintly. Still, he chirps a happy "Pipikachu!" in reply, much to Bonnie's delight and the boys' amusement.

Ash sets a hand on Pikachu's head, ruffling the Pokémon's fur. He rolls his shoulders in a very human-like, unnecessary stretch, covering an equally unnecessary yawn – Clemont has given up a long time ago trying to tell if Ash mimics Bonnie and himself consciously or not – and looks expectantly at Clemont as he sits back on his heels, reluctant to let go of Ash. "So, what now? What time is it?"

"It's nearly the middle of the day!" Bonnie says brightly. "I think Papa was gonna come back for lunch, wasn't he, Clemont?"

"Yes, that's right," Clemont says, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "There's still some time before lunch, though – Ash, I know you find it boring, but I need to run some diagnostics to make sure that everything is working properly."

Ash makes a face but nods in understanding. "Yeah, that's a good idea." With Bonnie and Clemont no longer leaning on them, Ash stretches his legs out in front of him and promptly makes another face. Clemont straightens in alarm. "Ash? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's…" Ash trails off, frowning at his hand as he flexes his fingers experimentally. "Nothing's really _wrong_ , I just feel kinda weird, to be honest?" He glances up at Clemont and immediately backpedals at the distraught expression on his friend's face. "Not in a bad way!" he insists hurriedly, holding up his hands placatingly. "Everything just feels a bit… different, to how it was before. Kinda like when you did my last major upgrade…" Ash pauses. "Actually, that's probably why, huh…"

Clemont sighs with relief that there isn't anything seriously wrong. "Yes, it probably is," he says apologetically. "I ended up upgrading some of your hardware capabilities when I was fixing the damage from Team Rocket and the Gym." He pauses, shoulders hitching slightly upwards. "And… your software too. I had to patch it up quite a bit as well thanks to that _horrible_ machine of theirs." Clemont looks down at his hands in his lap, his fingers fidgeting. "Actually," he confesses in a quiet voice, "to be honest, I didn't know if it was going to be – well, _you_ – that came back when I switched the power back on…"

"Huh?" Ash asks, looking thoroughly confused. "Of course it was gonna be me, who else would I be?" His brows furrow closer together as he tilts his head. "That's the second time you've mentioned something like that. I don't get it."

Clemont's mouth twists. The memory still hurts a lot, if he's honest with himself, even with Ash perfectly fine in front of him. "Well… when I was looking through your files, one of your core AI management protocols was corrupted beyond any kind of repair that I could do – a really important file that makes up part of your personality was practically overrun with glitches," he clarifies upon seeing Ash and Bonnie's twin blank looks. "I didn't know if it would break something else. I couldn't fix it – it's still like that, I'm sorry."

He worries about Ash's reaction, but his friend merely looks thoughtful. Really, he should have been worrying about _Bonnie's_ reaction; his sister fixes him with an indignant look. "You didn't tell me about that!" she accuses, folding her arms across her chest.

"Because I didn't want you to worry!" Clemont protests, straightening.

"But that means you had to worry all by yourself!" Bonnie counters, looking upset. "That's not fair, Clemont!"

The fight goes out of him. "I know, but I still didn't want you to worry."

Ash pats his shoulder, not looking worried in the slightest. "Actually, neither of you guys needs to worry," he comments with a smile. "I think I know the one you mean and it's always been like that."

Clemont stares at him incredulously. "What?" he asks blankly.

Ash shrugs. "Yeah, that file's always been like that, I didn't realise it was wrong," he laughs sheepishly. "So yeah, you guys don't need to worry about that at all, it's fine."

 _It's… it's always been like that?_ Clemont echoes, the words still refusing to make sense. _It's been a part of his code since the beginning…?! Why did I never notice it?!_

 _Because it was locked,_ he realises immediately. _I couldn't get into it, the scans couldn't check it… and if it's been like that from the start, then that means it wasn't Team Rocket's machine that caused the glitches… oh my goodness, it must have been from me tripping over him that first day?! How does something like that even happen?!_

"Clemont?" Ash asks, waving a hand in front of his nose. The robot peers at him with worry. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replies automatically. The information starts to sink in; he can't help snorting as he realises something. _Geez, that's just like Ash to have a glitched file as part of his core personality. No wonder he ignores so much of his own programming half the time!_

His snort turns into helpless giggles. When Ash looks at him – earlier worry only intensified by the odd reaction – the giggles turn into laughter, and he buries his face against Ash's shoulder to laugh helplessly out of amusement and incredulous relief. Ash and Bonnie glance at each other; the girl shrugs. Ash hesitantly reaches out to pat Clemont on the back as his body shakes with suppressed amusement.

"I'm okay," Clemont reassures him eventually, giggles dying off. "I just – I'm just really glad that you're _you_ , Ash."

The sound of the apartment's front door opening and closing interrupts whatever Ash is about to reply. Meyer's voice calls from the entrance. "Clemont? Bonnie?"

"Papa's back!" Bonnie exclaims, face lighting up with excitement. "I'll go get him, you two stay here!" She nimbly hops off the platform and disappears out the door. "Papa! Guess what!" they hear her call down the hallway. Ash and Clemont share an amused look.

Before too long, Bonnie reappears with Meyer in tow, tugging the man into the workshop excitedly. "Papa, Papa, Papa, look!" she exclaims, dropping her father's hand to flourish towards Ash, who gives Meyer a small wave. "Ash is awake!"

Meyer beams at the sight the three of them make when Bonnie plonks herself back down next to Ash. "That's great!" he cries, reaching them in two strides and sweeping all three of them up in a huge hug. Pikachu manages to leap away at the last second and watches everything with wide eyes. "I'm gonna cry, I'm so glad to see you awake at last! We've been so worried!"

Ash makes a noise of protest, squished up against the rest of his family. He worries that maybe he's the one actually squishing _them_ ; he's the one made of metal, after all. "Please don't cry!" It's all too easy to see where Clemont gets it from…

With a booming laugh, Meyer releases them all and ruffles Ash's hair with a large hand. "Welcome back, Ash."

Ash grins up at him. "Thanks! It's good to be back," he replies sincerely. "I missed everyone."

Bonnie tugs on Ash's sleeve, drawing the robot's attention. Pikachu deems it to be safe again to jump into Ash's lap; Ash absentmindedly begins to pet him as he replies to Bonnie. Meyer takes advantage of the other's distraction, leaning in towards Clemont. "See, I knew you could do it!" he whispers cheerfully, nudging Clemont with an elbow. Clemont flushes, scratching his cheek bashfully.

"Well…"

"No protests. You've done an amazing job Clemont, and I'm so proud of you." Meyer smiles at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling kindly as Clemont looks up at his father, startled. He ruffles Clemont's hair, giving him time to blink back the sudden tears in his eyes. _I'm crying at the drop of a hat lately_ , Clemont thinks wryly, sniffling slightly. Luckily, Ash and Bonnie notice nothing when they turn to him, eager to get his opinion on their topic of discussion.

Meyer claps his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "I think," he announces with a sparkle in his eye as he meets their gaze, "that this calls for a celebration!"

/\/\/\

Much, much later that night, after the rest of his family have gone to sleep, Ash and Clemont sit – or sprawl, in Ash's case – on the platform in the centre, staring out the large windows onto the nightscape of Lumiose City. For a while, conversation isn't needed as they merely enjoy each other's company, sitting close enough to one another that their shoulders touch. Pikachu snoozes in Ash's lap, chest gently rising and falling as Ash gently rubs a hand over the Pokémon's back.

"The city is always so pretty at night with all the lights," Ash comments, breaking the quiet. "The view from up here is really amazing."

Clemont hums in agreement, half asleep. Ash's next words chase sleep away rather swiftly, however. "Could you tell me what happened after I blacked out?" Ash asks, after a long pause. His expression is solemn as he look out the window, rather than at Clemont. Clemont knows that Ash can feel the way he's gone stiff in the way that he amends, "Just the basics, if you want. I just… I can't believe it's been over three weeks!"

"I'm sorry," Clemont replies, remorseful. Those three weeks had been the longest of Clemont's life; he should have fixed Ash so much sooner.

Again, Ash seems to know what Clemont is thinking, because the robot bumps his shoulder against Clemont's. "Hey, I'm not complaining, it's pretty amazing that it only took you three weeks! Like I said, I was pretty banged up when I blacked out. I know you did your best." Ash sighs glumly, resting his head on drawn-up knee. "It's just… I probably missed a lot of stuff. Like what happened with the Gym? Is it still there?"

"You didn't miss out as much as you think," Clemont reassures him. "Uhh, the Gym… Papa's been looking after that, since I was – busy – but the Gym's been closed for repairs the past few weeks. I think it should be back in business in maybe another two."

"Oh, thank goodness," Ash breathes out, relaxing. "I was worried the whole thing had collapsed."

"It pretty much did," Clemont admits. Ash makes a face. "But Lumiose's construction crews are very good at their jobs; they'll have it done soon."

"Great!" Ash grins, looking eager. "I can't wait to be able to have Gym battles again." In his enthusiasm, he misses Clemont's shiver at his words. "So…" Ash trails off, fiddling with a loose thread on his pants. "What happened?" There's a solemn air about him as he looks expectantly at Clemont, as though Ash knows he is about to hear bad news. It's Clemont's turn to stare at his feet this time; he doesn't want to explain any of it, but Ash deserves to know. Ash waits patiently for him to speak, leaning into Clemont's arm. The robot's solid weight is comforting, a reminder that no matter what has happened, Ash is back with them now.

Taking a deep breath, he lays out the events of the last three weeks for Ash in short, bare sentences. Even now, the memories from some of those days still hurt when he thinks of them; while they may not invoke tears, it's hard to conjure up any sort of positive attitude during the retelling.

A thought occurs to him as his story winds down; hopefully, it will help wipe away the glum look that Ash is now sporting. Sadness never looks right on Ash. "Hang on, I almost forgot," he says, getting to his feet and waving for Ash to stay sitting where he is when it looks like he might follow. His legs are stiff from sitting for so long and he hobbles a little over to his computer desk to retrieve Ash's hat where it sits beside the keyboard. "Here you go!" he smiles, handing the hat over to a surprised Ash. His friend's eyes light up and he takes the hat with obvious glee.

"You found it!" Ash marvels, beaming up at Clemont.

Clemont scratches his cheek with a finger shyly. "Well, Papa found it," he corrects as Ash examines his hat eagerly. "I think he might have cleaned it too, it was a bit dirty…" _From all the ceiling falling on it_ , he doesn't add.

"It's great!" Ash replies with a grin. "I thought I'd lost it… Thanks, Clemont!" He jams the hat on his head, red and white covering messy dark hair. "I'll have to thank your dad too!" There's an abrupt silence; it feels to Clemont like all of Ash's joy suddenly deflates like a punctured balloon.

"Ash…?" Clemont asks cautiously, brows drawn in worry. Ash has pulled the brim of his newly-returned hat down low, meaning that Clemont can't see his face very well. Ash hunches over, hands falling to his lap. "Ash? What's wrong?" He crouches down in front of his friend.

Ash breathes out long and hard. "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble," he says, downcast. He doesn't look up to see Clemont's suddenly stricken expression. "You and Bonnie and even Meyer… I should have guessed that those three were up to something – I've met them before! – but I was too focused on having fun battling, and you've had to spend so much of your time and energy fixing my mistakes…"

"Stop," Clemont interrupts, not wanting to hear Ash continue to blame himself. He rests his hands on Ash's shoulders, urging Ash to look at him. "It's not your fault, and don't you _ever_ say that. Bonnie and I were there too and we didn't notice anything either. You were doing your job – you were being a Gym Leader. It's _their_ fault for coming in and trying to steal you and the Pokémon." Ash looks startled, but Clemont isn't done speaking. He takes a deep breath. "And please don't apologise to me for needing to be fixed," he scolds. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again: _You are important to me_. To Bonnie, to Pikachu, even to Papa – you're an important friend to all of us. Of _course_ I'll always fix you – no matter how long it takes or how much energy it takes."

Ash stares at him for a moment, brown eyes wide, before the gloomy expression fades into a warm smile. "…Thanks, Clemont." He reaches out, hugging Clemont around the middle. "You're important to me too. All of you are."

Clemont hugs him back with all of his strength.

"Anyway," he continues after they separate, plonking back down next to Ash again. "If you're going to blame yourself for something like that – which you _shouldn't_ – then it's just as much my fault for not protecting you better against attacks like the one Team Rocket used."

"That's not your fault," Ash retorts immediately, mouth set in a stubborn line. "There's no way you could have known anyone would try that. Can you even block something like that?"

"There are ways," Clemont sighs. He nudges Ash with his shoulder. "But see what I mean? I could have set that up from the start, but I never thought for a moment that people like Team Rocket exist…" He scowls. "I can't forgive anyone who uses science and Pokémon for evil things!"

Ash reaches out to squeeze Clemont's hand in reassurance. Clemont sighs. "Well, it shouldn't matter now anyway." Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Ash's curious glance. "I should have done it from the start, but I've locked all of your files so that no-one will be able to access them," he explains. "Well… you can access them, of course, and the password is a voice code keyed to me, so if I really need to, I can. It's going to be a lot harder even for me to access your files now though, so I don't know how many updates you'll be getting in the future," he finishes, apologetic. It was less efficient, but much safer for Ash this way. Clemont _never_ wanted a repeat of the last three weeks.

He feels Ash shrug. "That's okay. You know I don't like them anyway."

Clemont huffs a laugh. "I thought you'd say something like that."

"Guess I'll just have to learn things the way that everyone else does, one thing at a time," Ash muses, flopping backwards and staring up at the ceiling. "That's not too bad." Pikachu grumbles, but doesn't wake up beyond curling into a tighter ball on the robot's stomach. They fall silent for a while: Clemont continues to stare out the window while Ash still has hold of one of his hands, drumming his fingers against the back of it absentmindedly.

"Hey, Clemont?"

"Mm?" Clemont looks down at Ash. His world lurches for a second at the familiar viewpoint; for a second, Ash is lying there, broken and cold. Clemont blinks, dispelling the image and replacing it with the reality of a curious Ash staring up at him. "What is it?"

"What's the password?" Ash asks.

Clemont blinks. "You can't access that?"

Ash scrunches his face up in distaste. "Well, I _could_ ," he concedes. "But playing audio files feels weird, like they're echoing around my head. Besides, I'd rather hear it from you."

Clemont smiles. "Well, it's, ah…" He chuckles, grin growing wider. "It's 'sandwich', to be honest." Ash's brows draw together in confusion and he shakes his head, still smiling. "It's just a joke with myself, don't worry."

Ash makes a noise of acknowledgement, looking back up at the ceiling and closing his eyes. His fingers continue to tap out a nonsense pattern on the back of Clemont's hand. "Hey, Clemont… can robots like me dream?"

Clemont's eyebrows rise high. "I… don't know," he admits, surprised at the question. "Why do you ask?"

Ash's fingers still for a moment on his hand, before starting up in a slower pattern. "Well… I remember you and Bonnie telling me about sleeping and dreaming once. I know I wasn't really sleeping the last three weeks but… I think I might have been dreaming…?"

His head whips around to stare at Ash. "What?" _That's impossible – not him dreaming; I never could work out if he was capable of it or not and, well, he's Ash – but his power source was damaged, his systems weren't even_ running _in those three weeks, except when I ran diagnostics. Unless it was during those times? You dream when you sleep, you can't dream when you're for all intents and purposes dead._ "What… what did you dream about?" he asks, curiosity taking over. _A dream!_

"Well," Ash starts, brows furrowing in concentration. "There was me, and you and Bonnie, of course, and Pikachu – and some girl I've never met before? Me and Bonnie and were playing in this giant pool of water. That was fun," he adds. "Water doesn't usually feel like that to me… I think – I think I might have been human?" Ash opens his eyes, flashing a smile up at Clemont, who is listening intently. The robot flexes his free hand, examining it. "The pool was near a Pokémon Centre and there were trees all around – it was really hot, too, I didn't know the weather could get that hot! I couldn't see, but somehow I knew there was sand past all the trees as well."

"An oasis," Clemont supplies, resting his chin on his hand, his arm propped up on his knee. "That's what you're describing. It's a spring that you find in the middle of a desert – which is what the sand probably is." _I don't really know the desert regions of Kalos that well,_ he muses and then catches himself. _Not that Ash would be dreaming of a real place he's never heard about, nor ever been to!_

"An oasis, huh…" Ash repeats, a determined smile on his face. "Maybe I'll get to see it one day!" he muses eagerly.

"Was that all the dream was?" His curiosity is skyrocketing with every piece of information Ash reveals. That Ash can dream to this degree of detail… his robot certainly is a one-of-a-kind miracle!

Ash shrugs, shoulders rubbing against the platform. "Pretty much, yeah," he agrees, running a hand over Pikachu's back. Pikachu's ears twitch. "We were just hanging out and having fun. Oh! There were some Pokémon there though, um…" he frowns. "A Dedenne? It was with Bonnie. And you had a Chespin… there was a Delphox too, it must have belonged to the other girl." He grins up at Clemont again. "I think I was a Trainer," he confesses to Clemont. "All of us travelling together. What a nice dream…"

Clemont swallows nervously. Well, Ash has handed him the perfect opening to something he's been meaning to discuss with him. He hadn't intended on mentioning it the very first day that Ash woke up – there are still plenty more things that needed to be checked and _done_ first and once Ash knows about this he'll be unable to sit still for all his eagerness – but here goes nothing anyway.

"It doesn't have to be a dream," he says softly. Almost too softly; his voice is barely audible, even to his own ears.

But not to Ash's hearing. He looks up at him, confused. His fingers freeze still on Clemont's hand again. "What?" he asks blankly.

"It doesn't have to be just a dream," he repeats, in a louder voice. "I… while you were still asleep, I made up my mind about something, although the final decision is yours." Clemont fidgets a bit, reclaiming his hand from Ash. "I know it's still your dream to become a Pokémon Trainer and enter the League so… if you really want to do it, I think you should. Go and travel around Kalos and collect badges."

"What?!" Ash bolts upright, narrowly missing colliding with Clemont's head. Pikachu tumbles off his stomach and into his lap. "Ack! Sorry, Pikachu," Ash apologises hurriedly, as Pikachu grumbles a few complaints. His head swings around to look at Clemont, his eyes bright. "Really, Clemont?! You really mean it?!"

Clemont can't help the smile that breaks out at Ash's excitement. "Yeah. I talked to Papa and also Professor Sycamore – he's the one who you get your starter Pokémon from – I talked to them about it, and it should be fine. You just need to register properly at a PokéCenter."

Ash lets out a whoop, a sound of pure joy and excitement. He leans forward, wrapping an arm around Clemont's shoulders in a hug. "That's _awesome!_ Thank you so much, Clemont!" he laughs. Ash beams down at the electric Pokémon in his lap; Pikachu's grumbles have died down in the face of such unbridled excitement. "Did you hear that, Pikachu? I'm gonna be a Pokémon Trainer! – no, a Pokémon Master!"

"Pika! Pikapi!" Pikachu cheers sleepily, waving his arms. The announcement is less of a shock to him than it is to Ash – after all, Pikachu had been at the table when Clemont had first broached the idea of a Pokémon journey with his father.

"Ah, but wait – what about all the problems that you brought up before?" Ash asks, smile fading. "I mean, it's not like it's gotten any _less_ dangerous for me to go… I mean, there's still no way for me to swim, or get repairs if I manage to damage myself… and, well… I'd miss you guys."

Clemont's gaze slides downwards until he is staring at the ground. "Team Rocket managed to come after you _here_ , in your home. So maybe it is still dangerous but… that's no reason not to try, right?" He glances at Ash, to find a serious expression on the robot's face. He looks away again. "Besides, some of that stuff I've accounted for already when I was rebuilding you – your design now is a lot lighter and sturdier than it was before to accommodate for outdoor travel, for example."

"Oh, that's probably why it was feeling a bit weird to me," Ash flexes his fingers as he examines his hand. He nods. "Makes sense."

"Mm. It's not just the hardware either; I wrote some new programs that should come in handy for you as well if you decide to go," Clemont continues. "As for the rest, well…" He scratches his cheek, smiling shyly at Ash, "that shouldn't be a problem if I come along with you."

Ash blinks at the unexpected words, before his eyes go comically wide. "Really?!" he exclaims, shock and joy mingling on his face. He scrambles to hands and knees, leaning in close to Clemont. "You'd come too?"

"Well, it's the best way to make sure you don't damage yourself too much. You need me," Clemont replies, touched by just how _happy_ Ash seems by the prospect. "Ah, and not just me," he adds. "Bonnie insisted that she gets to come along too – I don't think she intends to let you out of her sight ever again." The shy smile grows into a shy grin. "So it'd be the three of us, if you want to go."

Ash's answering grin is so bright that it's almost blinding. "Yes!" he cheers, leaping to his feet and spinning around in glee. "Yes! Hahaaa! This is _amazing!_ I can be a Pokémon Trainer, _and_ I get to travel with my family! This is incredible, I'm _so_ pumped!" Laughing, Ash reaches down and grabs Clemont's hands, hauling the smiling blonde to his feet with a small yelp on Clemont's behalf and spinning them both around. "Clemont, you're the _best!_ "

They slow to a stop. Clemont finds himself with an armful of enthusiastic robot as Ash wraps his arms around him in a hug. "Thanks, Clemont, I really appreciate it," Ash mumbles into his shoulder. "You do so much for me."

"You do just as much for me," Clemont replies honestly, warmth radiating in his chest. _Maybe it's not as visible as the things I can do for you but… just having you around is worth so much to me._ He rests his head on Ash's shoulder, squeezing the robot in return. "I know you'll make a great Pokémon Trainer, Ash."

"Thanks!" It's easy to hear the smile in Ash's voice.

All of a sudden, he feels Ash stiffen under his hands. "Wait," Ash says slowly, as though something is dawning on him. He pulls back to look at Clemont. "If the two of us are travelling around Kalos… who's gonna be running the Gym? Lumiose Gym can't close down for that long…"

"Of course not," Clemont agrees. "Since neither of us will be around to run the Gym – you can't, and I won't be able to – I was thinking..." He hesitates. "Well, to be honest, I was considering building another robot to take care of the Gym while we're both gone. Not the same as you!" he clarifies immediately, worried that Ash might take it the wrong way and think he was being replaced. "You're definitely one of a kind! But a robot with an AI and other functionalities that are less advanced than what I did for you."

"Oh…" Ash considers this, head tilted to the side. "Well, I know the Gym will be in good hands then!" he concludes brightly, hands on hips. "Since you build really great robots!" He winks at Clemont, not even trying to hide his wide grin. Clemont bursts out laughing, giggling helplessly into his hand.

"Ssh, Papa and Bonnie are probably trying to sleep," he says between giggles. "We should probably try to be quieter."

"Whoops." Ash has the grace to look sheepish as he lowers his voice. He bounces on his feet for a moment, unable to contain his excitement. "So, when can we leave? Tomorrow?"

"I know you're eager, but there's a lot of things we need to organise first," Clemont cautions. "You need to register for the League and organise things with the Professor; Bonnie and I need to work out what we'll need to take… I need to work out things with the Gym and the League Association too, if I'm going to have a full-time proxy stand in for me while I'm gone…." he trails off, mumbling to himself as more and more things to do occur to him. Eventually, he snaps back to reality. "Besides," he adds, amusement growing, "While I'm flattered you think I could, I can't build an entire robot in a day, you know. Just making the plans is going to take at least a day, if I stay up all night."

"No," Ash says immediately, mouth setting in a stubborn line. "Bonnie told me how you hard you worked yourself while I was asleep. No more skipping sleep! It's important for you guys!"

"Okay, okay! I understand," Clemont laughs, holding up his hands. "I'll go get ready for bed. We can figure out all the details tomorrow – and you need to let Papa and Bonnie know about your decision too." Later, he'll blame his actions on tiredness finally catching up to him after the excitement of the day, but for now he balances on tiptoe, using Ash's shoulders to steady himself as he presses a kiss to the robot's forehead like he would for Bonnie. "Good night, Ash!" He heads for the door, stifling a sudden yawn; he doesn't see Ash touch his forehead gently.

Clemont is almost to the door when Ash's voice floats up from behind him. "Hey, Clemont…?"

He turns. Ash still stands in the middle of the room, backlit by the lights of Lumiose City. Clemont realises with surprise that Ash looks uncertain, an emotion he doesn't usually associate with his friend. "Yes, Ash?"

"Can I… can we…"

Ash looks down at Pikachu, sleeping in his arms. In that moment, the robot strikes an unbearably lonely figure. Clemont's heart aches at the thought of Ash having to stay awake by himself while the rest of his family slept.

Without stopping to think about it, he holds out a hand. "Come stay with me tonight," he offers. "Even if you can't sleep, it's better than hanging around here by yourself." _And I'll probably be able to sleep better that way as well._

Surprise and then gratefulness flashes across Ash's face. He comes closer, reaching out to take Clemont's proffered hand. "Thanks, Clemont."

He grins at Ash, tugging him towards the door. "Anytime."

* * *

 _Ash revival! Time for the sadness to end! \ o /_

 _Side note, a Clemont hug for anyone that can place Ash's dream in the XY/XY &Z timeline lol_

 _Only one more chapter left! :O Thanks for reading! C:_


	20. Chapter 20

_Ack, I was super tired and completely missed the Friday update, sorry! But here we are! The final chapter! :O Thanks to everyone for reading this far!_

 _Fun fact: I wrote this chapter before I'd even written the big battle against Team Rocket in the gym… needed this ray of sunshine to aim for through all the angst haha Also a giant Clemont hug for Sapphiria for guessing Ash's dream correctly! Well done C:_

 _So without further ado, here's the last chapter~_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 20**_

Two weeks after Ash finally opens his eyes, Clemont wakes to the sound of bedsprings creaking under an unfamiliar weight. The room is cloaked in darkness – _what time is it?_ – and his glasses are folded up on the bench an arm length away, but Clemont doesn't need to see his early-morning visitor to have a fair idea of who it is.

Sure enough, his suspicions are confirmed when Ash's voice floats out of the darkness. "Hey, Clemont!"

"'S too early," Clemont mumbles into his pillow, turning his back towards the direction Ash's voice had come from. "Try an' sleep." He buries his face further into the pillow, hoping vaguely that Ash will follow the suggestion. Clemont hasn't gotten much sleep himself the last couple of days – or really, if he's being truthful, it's been hard to have a proper night's sleep since the day Team Rocket had tried to steal Ash away. Some nights he still wakes up in a cold sweat, terrified that Ash is still lifeless and broken or that Bonnie is hurt. On those nights, he is driven to drag himself out of bed on shaky legs to check on them both. Bonnie is always sleeping soundly when he looks in on her, for which he is thankful.

It usually takes a longer time to search out Ash. Sometimes he finds the robot watching Bonnie; sometimes he comes across Ash sprawled in the middle of his workshop, Pikachu curled up beside him asleep as the robot finds various ways to occupy himself while his family sleeps. Sometimes Clemont has to search a little further, his heart speeding up anxiously until he finds Ash standing in the Gym, looking around at the construction work in progress. The warmth of Ash's hand and the steady hum of life under Clemont's fingers at his wrist always help to chase anyway the lingering cold of Clemont's nightmares. Sometimes, though, it's not enough; Clemont doesn't know how Ash tells these nights apart from any others, but the robot always follows him back to his room on these nights and stays there until Clemont can fall asleep again (Ash will never tell him that there's a certain wild-eyed look that Clemont gets that hurts Ash to witness, because it's his fault that Clemont has all of these fearful memories in the first place).

The last few nights, however, Clemont has stayed up to work on the new robot to look after the Gym while he and Ash and Bonnie travel around Kalos. He welcomes the work, because new inventions are always exciting to work on and also because focusing all his energy on building a new robot means that he falls into bed at the end of the day absolutely exhausted. He'd finished building Clembot (he'd ignored Bonnie's raised eyebrow at the name this time) earlier that day and while Clembot was not like Ash, Clemont knew that the newer robot would look after the Gym well in their absence. It was absurd to compare other robots to Ash anyway – Ash was a miracle, one of a kind, and really, that was the way it should be.

Still, miracle or not, that doesn't mean Clemont appreciates being woken at the crack of dawn by his friend.

"Cleeeeeeeeeeemont," Ash whines when Clemont makes no further move to get up. "Clemont, come on, wake up." He shakes Clemont's shoulder, but only gets an indistinct grumbling in reply. "Come on come on come _on_ let's _go_!" Ash continues, clearly not giving up despite the lack of response. The bed starts to shake as Ash bounces on it eagerly. "I can't wait anymore!"

Clemont gives into the inevitable, slowly propping himself up on his elbows with much effort. "For what?" he asks groggily, yawning. He peers blearily into the gloom, making out the blurry outline of Ash sitting cross-legged beside him on the bed.

"To go and meet Professor Sycamore and get my first Pokémon!" Ash says excitedly. Clemont winces at the volume and Ash drops his voice immediately. "Whoops, sorry!" he whispers, sounding apologetic. He leans in, his knee touching Clemont's shoulder. Clemont can feel Ash practically vibrating with excitement. "But Clemont! Today's the day! I'm gonna go on a Pokémon journey! I'm gonna actually be a real Pokémon Trainer!"

The sheer amount of enthusiasm in Ash's voice has Clemont smiling before his tired brain can actually process the actual words. _Ah, I should have known_ , he thinks ruefully once Ash's words finally filter through. "Ash," he says, stifling another yawn as he squints at the clock, gives up, and reaches for his glasses. Settling them on the bridge of his nose, he has another go at reading the glowing numbers on his alarm clock. "Ash, it's _four in the morning_."

"So?" Ash asks, sounding genuinely confused as to why this poses any sort of problem. "Let's go!"

"No! Reasonable people are asleep at this hour!" Clemont retorts. "Humans need to sleep, Ash!"

Ash falls silent. Slightly worried he might have offended Ash somehow, Clemont squints through the gloom towards his early morning visitor. He can't make out Ash's expression, but he can feel him fidgeting. "But what if we're late?" Ash asks eventually, voice suddenly very small in the quiet of Clemont's room. "What if the professor runs out of Pokémon or something?"

So _that_ was it. Clemont sighs, taking off his glasses to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "Ash, the Professor knows you're coming," he reminds the anxious robot in a reassuring voice. "He won't run out of starter Pokémon, even if something happened and we _did_ turn up late. I know you're looking forward to it, but the Professor probably wouldn't even be awake if we went now." Clemont stifles another yawn. "Plus, I really need to sleep. Just hang on a few more hours for Bonnie and I, alright?"

Ash groans. There's a soft _thwump_ as he flops over in defeat, landing face-down in a pillow. "Fine," Ash grumbles, voice muffled by the pillow. Luckily, Ash doesn't see the smile that flashes across his friend's face before Clemont reaches over to pat Ash on the shoulder in sympathy.

"It's only a few more hours," Clemont tells him optimistically, reclaiming his hand to return his glasses back to safety on the bedside table. He only gets an indistinct grumble in reply, so Clemont leaves Ash be and settles back down under the bedcovers. "Try and sleep," he suggests again in a mumble, already halfway to sleep by the time his head rests on his own pillow.

The bed shifts. "Good night, Clemont." Ash's voice is clearer now; at the very edge of awareness, Clemont can hear the undisguised amusement in his voice.

"'Night, Ash," he murmurs, and is asleep again in seconds.

/\/\/\

Awareness creeps in slowly when Clemont next wakes up. This time, it's luckily at an hour where there is sunshine streaming in through his window. He blinks blearily at the ceiling for a few moments, trying to figure out why his chest feels so heavy. It's not until he glances to the side and comes face-to-face with the side of Ash's head that he realises that he had apparently not bothered to move off Clemont's bed last night and that the heaviness is, in fact, Ash's arm slung over Clemont's chest as he sleeps. Well, Clemont assumes Ash is sleeping – or at least trying to in any case – judging by the way Ash's eyes are closed and his face is mashed unrepentantly against Clemont's other pillow. Clemont can't help a snort of laughter at the sight – with his messy bed hair and pillow creases across his skin, no-one would ever guess that Ash wasn't human if it weren't for the complete lack of movement.

Ash doesn't need to breathe, nor does he twitch in his sleep or any of the thousand other little reflexive actions that humans have. Objectively, Clemont knows this, but Ash is laying so _still_ and his eyes are closed and it's too close to how lifeless he looked that day in the Gym, _what if something has gone wrong, what if Ash is –_

The weight on his chest shifts – just as well, because Clemont is having enough trouble breathing all on his own without any added help – and suddenly there's a warm hand being shoved into Clemont's grasp, his fingers closing automatically around a wrist that pulses under his fingers with warmth and electricity and _life_.

"I'm okay," Ash says quietly as Clemont breathes out slow and steady, trying to calm down the rapid beat of his heart. The robot is still laying on his stomach, but now warm brown eyes peer out from under messy black bangs with concern. "Bonnie's fine as well." Clemont sucks in another breath and nods, his eyes squeezed shut again. They lay like that for a moment – Clemont's fingers over the steady buzz that is Ash's pulse; Ash's hand privy to the rapid _thump thump thump_ of the blond's heart – until Clemont calms down from the unexpected panic.

Well, there's no way he's going to be able to get back to sleep after _that_. Clemont sighs, throwing back the blankets to sit up and rub at his eyes. Ash reclaims his hand, propping his chin up on his arm as Clemont reaches for his glasses. The clock displays a much more decent hour to be awake this time.

A flash of yellow catches his eye. It appears that sometime during the night Pikachu has also migrated to Clemont's bed. It isn't that surprising, since wherever Ash goes, Pikachu goes – the electric Pokémon had probably woken up to find Ash not around and searched him out. Pikachu is curled up asleep on Ash's back, which explains why Ash is still laying in bed for all the robot's eagerness earlier this morning.

Clemont crawls out of bed, doing his best not to awaken the sleeping Pokémon either. He yawns and stretches on his way over to his closet. "Have you decided what Pokémon you're going to choose from the Professor yet?" Clemont asks curiously as he digs through his clothes, searching for the jumpsuit he hadn't packed. Ash hasn't really named a preference for one of the starter Pokémon over the others thus far, despite how much he's been talking about it this past week.

There's a muffled yet surprisingly loud sigh from behind Clemont. "Ahhhh I dunno, it's so hard!" Ash complains. He starts ticking off the fingers on one hand as Clemont quickly changes out of his pyjamas. "There's the water type, Froakie… and the Fire type, Fennekin… and also the Grass type, Chespin…" Ash closes his hand and props his chin up on it, sighing. "They all seem pretty cool. I've only ever battled with Electric types and Bunnelby 'til now, so type-wise they'd all be fun to partner with…" Ash drops his head into the pillow again. "It's too hard to pick one!" he laments in frustration.

Pikachu stirs on Ash's back at the sound of the robot's voice, ears twitching as the he slowly opens his eyes. "Pikapi!" Pikachu chirps upon spotting Ash. "Pika pika!"

"Haha, good morning to you too!" Ash laughs. With no reason to be staying still any longer, he twists over and sits up to catch Pikachu in a hug as the electric Pokémon launches himself at Ash's chest. "Today's the day, Pikachu!" Ash says excitedly, beaming. "I'm gonna be a Trainer!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cheers, crawling up onto Ash's shoulder. Ash's bed hair immediately makes the Pokémon sneeze, gaining Ash an unimpressed look. "Pikapiiiii."

Clemont pauses in his dressing, leaving one arm free of the jumpsuit in favour of grabbing a brush and passing it to Ash. "Here, you can use this," he tells Ash, much to Pikachu's appreciation. Clemont reaches out and scratches Pikachu between the ears. "Good morning, Pikachu."

"Pipika pika!"

"Thanks, Clemont –" Ash's voice falters for a second. Concerned, Clemont glances towards him, only to find an odd look on Ash's face as he stares at the visible patch of Clemont's collarbone. Clemont follows his eye line and realises with an inaudible gulp that the bruises from Ash shoving him away that day in the Gym are visible above his undershirt. In the past weeks they've faded quite significantly from the deep purple-black they'd been, but even mottled yellow-brown stands out against Clemont's pale skin. He's never told Ash about them, not wanting Ash to feel bad about anything he did while under Team Rocket's mind-control.

Before Ash can recognise the bruises for what they are, Clemont stands up and tugs his jumpsuit hurriedly over his shoulder, zipping it up completely. "I'll start breakfast!" he says quickly, escaping out the door to do just that.

Slightly bewildered at the sudden exit, Ash exchanges a questioning frown with Pikachu. The electric Pokémon shrugs. Ash sighs. "Come on, we'd better get you something to eat before your stomach starts rumbling like an earthquake," he teases, unfolding his legs to jump off the bed and laughing when Pikachu swats at his face in retaliation.

/\/\/\

Luckily, Ash doesn't comment on Clemont's odd behaviour when he emerges from Clemont's room and wanders into the kitchen, Pikachu riding on his shoulder. Clemont breathes a quiet sigh of relief as he kneels and rummages through a cupboard, looking for a frypan.

"Hey Clemont, do you want any help with breakfast?" Ash asks, leaning over the kitchen counter. Pikachu takes the opportunity to jump down onto the counter as Clemont looks up from his search.

"No, it's alright," he tells Ash. "Though could you go and see if Bonnie is awake yet, please?"

"Sure!" Ash replies easily and disappears from Clemont's view again, his footsteps fading further into the apartment. Clemont finds the frypan soon after and begins to make breakfast – pancakes, as a treat to celebrate Ash's first official day of being a Pokémon Trainer. _Although Ash can't eat them,_ he thinks sheepishly, sending a silent apology Ash's way as he mixes the batter. Pikachu looks on curiously.

There's already a few pancakes stacked up by the time Ash reappears, this time with Bonnie in tow. While Ash is clearly trying to keep his enthusiasm somewhat in check, his little sister clearly has no such compunctions as she bounds over to him, full of energy. "Good morning!" Bonnie sings, throwing her arms around his waist in a big hug.

"Good morning," Clemont replies with a smile, bending over to give her a kiss on the forehead when she releases him. Her braid is rather messy this morning, which is odd considering Bonnie is rather good at braiding her own hair nowadays."Did you sleep well?"

"Yup!" she replies happily. Clearly, it's only _Clemont_ who gets woken up at the crack of dawn by enthusiastic soon-to-be-Trainers. "Ooooh yay, pancakes!" Bonnie cheers with enthusiasm, throwing her arms in the air.

"Ah, good morning, Pikachu!" she adds, spotting the electric Pokémon sitting on the bench next to Clemont, happily munching on a pancake that Clemont had pretended not to see him swipe from the steadily growing stack.

"Pika!" is Pikachu's muffled reply as he waves a hand at Bonnie, his cheeks bulging with stolen pancake.

"If you eat all of them, there won't be any left for anyone else," Clemont admonishes, adding another pancake to the stack and starting on a new one. Pikachu gulps down the last of the pancake and rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"Pika pikachu…"

Bonnie giggles. "Don't worry about it, Pikachu, my brother doesn't actually mind." Pikachu brightens at her words and Clemont's accompanying smile.

Pikachu thanks Clemont with a cheerful "Pipika pi!" and leaps off the kitchen counter to perch on Bonnie's head instead. Bonnie squeals in delight, twirling around on the spot. "Look, look, bro! Pikachu is sitting on my head!"

"So he is," Clemont agrees, smiling. "It seems that Pikachu has really taken a liking to you!" He catches Ash's eye across the kitchen, where the robot leans against the doorway as he watches them, and they share a smile over Bonnie's head. _I'm glad Pikachu seems to be so comfortable around us now_ , Clemont thinks to himself as he flips a pancake. _He's even friendlier around people he doesn't know._

Bonnie grins brightly at Clemont's words, raising her hands to pat Pikachu. "Just don't mess up my braid, okay?" she tells him. "Ash did it for me!" Suddenly, the clumsy braid at the front of her hair makes more sense.

"I tried my best, but I don't think it turned out that well," Ash admits from the doorway. "Keeping all the strands separate is _hard_. You can redo it, I don't mind."

"It's ok, you'll get better with practice!" Bonnie reassures Ash, grabbing his hand. "Clemont used to have to braid my hair until I learnt how to do it myself!"

"Huh, is that so?" Ash asks, an interested look on his face. "Clemont's really good at lots of things, isn't he?"

"Yup, he is!" Bonnie agrees. "Well, except when his inventions explode…"

"Bonnie, could you set the table, please?" Clemont cuts in, embarrassed by praise and criticism alike. "Breakfast is ready."

"Sure!" Bonnie replies. Behind her, Ash doesn't even bother to hide his grin behind a hand as he takes the stack of plates from Bonnie.

"Here, I'll take these, you get the cutlery…"

/\/\/\

Somehow, they make it through breakfast without Ash bursting from impatience, although Clemont can practically feel him vibrating with barely-contained excitement throughout the entire meal. Still, Ash doesn't complain as he waits for Clemont and Bonnie to finish eating. Instead, he chats excitedly with Bonnie about what Pokémon they might see at Professor Sycamore's lab today, occasionally snagging a pancake onto his plate for Pikachu.

 _Huh, that reminds me, I wonder what Ash intends to do about Pikachu_ , Clemont muses, watching Ash laugh as Pikachu licks syrup off his paws. He chews on a piece of pancake thoughtfully. _Or rather, what Pikachu intends to do about Ash? The two of them have bonded so closely, but it's not a guarantee that Pikachu will want to come with us. He's technically still a wild Pokémon, after all; Ash never actually caught him in a Pokéball. Pikachu may just want to go back to the flower garden when we leave. Ash won't try to make Pikachu stay if he doesn't want to come with us, I'm sure of it._ Clemont sighs internally. _Although I think it would make him unbearably sad to leave Pikachu behind after everything they've been through._

 _Still, that's a decision to be made by Ash and Pikachu, not me_ . He knows though that both he and Bonnie will miss the electric Pokémon almost as much as Ash if Pikachu decides to stay behind. He sighs again.

Clemont is content to just eat and let Bonnie and Ash's excited conversation flow over him, not really paying attention as he goes over a mental checklist of everything they need to do before they set off. He's in the middle of trying to remember if he packed a spare set of screwdrivers – knowing Ash, they'll probably come in handy at some point or another – when Ash seems to pick up on his internal worrying and ropes Clemont into their conversation as well.

Finally, all the pancakes have been eaten and their plates are empty. "Ahh, I'm full!" Bonnie sighs, resting her hands on her stomach. "Thanks, Clemont!"

"Mm, that meal looked really nice!" Ash comments, propping his chin up on his hands. "Did you enjoy it, Pikachu?"

He looks towards Pikachu, who is once again licking syrup off his paws. "Pika!" Pikachu replies happily, before twisting to look at Clemont. "Pipika!"

"You're welcome," Clemont replies with a smile. He stretches and gets to his feet, starting to stack up the empty plates.

"Oh, leave that to me!" Ash says, scooting his chair back and taking the plates out of Clemont's hands. "You did all the hard work cooking, I can take care of the washing up," he says over his shoulder as he carries the dishes over to the sink.

"Oh! Thanks," Clemont says in surprise. "Well, in that case, I'll go and check that I've packed everything that we'll need… then we can head off to Professor Sycamore's laboratory, alright?" Ash and Bonnie raise a cheer in response, Pikachu joining in. Chuckling to himself, Clemont turns to head back to his room, but pauses in the doorway of the kitchen and turns back to Ash. "If your hands start feeling strange or anything, please come and get me!" he tells Ash. While Ash's hands had escaped injury in the fight against Team Rocket, Clemont didn't want to take any chances that there might be some kind of damage that he missed while fixing Ash.

Ash sighs. "I accidentally fry my hands _once_ and I'll never live it down…" He catches sight of Clemont's serious face and huffs a laugh, hand on hip. "Yeah, okay, I'll come and get you, but it'll be _fine_ , Clemont. You're the one who built me, after all! You should have more faith in your own abilities." Clemont ducks his head, and Ash's smile becomes gentler. "And besides, I know that you'll always be able to fix me, no matter what happens."

"Of course," Clemont tells him, and he wants to say more but the words stick in his throat and he can't get them out. _There's no world in which I wouldn't try._ Struck speechless, he can only smile back at Ash.

Luckily, Bonnie rescues him at that moment by asking into the silence, "Pikachu, I'll help you clean you all up, if you want?" Pikachu glances from Bonnie to his syrup-soaked paws and sticky face and back again, looking sheepish as he nods. Bonnie's eyes light up at the prospect of getting to look after a Pokémon. "I'll brush your fur too, so you'll look your best when we go to the Professor's laboratory!"

"Pika!"

"Thanks, Bonnie!" Ash adds in, his attention switching to the two still sitting at the table. "That'd be a great help."

"It's okay! I love taking care of Pokémon!" Bonnie grins, hopping down from her chair to find a towel to wipe the syrup off of Pikachu's face. "Pikachu, you stay there, okay?"

"Pika!"

Clemont takes the opportunity to slip down the hallway back towards his room. _Should I have warned Bonnie that Pikachu might not stay with us?_ he wonders as he enters his room. _If she gets her hopes up too much, then it will hurt worse if Pikachu does end up staying behind… but then, it's not worth needlessly upsetting her if Pikachu does intend to come with us..._ He stares unseeingly into his bag for a few moments, contemplating what to do, before he realises that he's spacing out and shakes his head to clear it. _It's up to Ash and Pikachu_ , he reminds himself, determinedly putting it out of his mind as he begins to rummage through his bag. _I'll just have to trust that they can figure something out. Now, did I remember to pack that first aid kit…?_

/\/\/\

Clemont has migrated to his workshop by the time Ash wanders in, the robot miraculously injury-free. He absently returns Ash's greeting as he contemplates his workbench, trying to figure out what other of his inventions might be useful enough to take on their journey – and if so, whether they will fit in the space he has left. Maybe it would be better to take spare parts rather than a fully complete invention? The ability to adapt to situations on the fly is a vital skill that he's learnt from watching Ash battle – and it's a useful trait to have outside of Pokémon battles as well. _Yes, more spare parts is probably the better choice_.

"Woah, Clemont, what on earth do you have in here?" Ash asks incredulously, cutting through Clemont's train of thought. His eyes are wide as he pokes Clemont's bag, sitting open on the platform in the centre of the room. "Are you sure you're gonna be able to carry all this?"

Clemont lets out a _hmph_. It's not like he has _that_ much stuff in there, surely. "Well, there's the tents, sleeping bags and the cooking gear," he starts to list off on his fingers. "Changes of clothes for Bonnie and I, not to mention food, soap and toothbrushes, medical items for humans _and_ our Pokémon – and my tool kit and spare parts in case I need to repair you or build anything else… oh yeah, and some of my inventions, I thought they'd be useful…"

Ash looks dumbfounded as the list continues on. "You guys really _need_ all that stuff?" he asks eventually when Clemont finishes his list.

Clemont smiles a bit at the robot's surprise. "Unfortunately, yes, Bonnie and I both need all of these things. And Bonnie can't carry any of it, she's too young. So it's up to me."

Ash makes a face. "At least let me carry some of it, like the tents," he offers reasonably. "It's not like I need much space in my own bag, and I can carry more weight much more easily than you can as well."

With a sigh, Clemont concedes that Ash has a point – it's not like Ash will ever get tired from carrying a heavy bag around. Still, he feels a bit guilty for making his friend carry things that he won't even be using.

"Don't be silly, I'm offering," Ash retorts when Clemont says as much. " _I'd_ feel bad if I didn't try to help somehow."

With that, what else can Clemont do but concede the point? "Thank you," Clemont says gratefully. "I really appreciate it."

Ash waves off his thanks with a hand, instead peering at Clemont's bag with interest. "So what inventions are you bringing, anyway?" he asks curiously as the two of them transfer several of the heavier items from Clemont's rucksack to Ash's backpack.

"Oh! Um, well there's the Aipom Arm, you've seen that one," Clemont says, pointing to it on the front of his backpack. "And the Solar Charger I was making a few weeks ago – I changed the wiring a bit so that it doesn't overheat so much anymore, and it connects to this mini solar panel on the Aipom Arm's dock so that it can charge all the time."

"Wow, that's great!" Ash comments with wonder, peering at it closer. "Science sure is amazing!"

"Now that I've got more space, maybe I can bring something else too…" Clemont muses, wandering back over to his workbench. "Let's see…"

Ash heaves a great sigh behind him and flops backwards onto the raised platform. "Come _on_ , Clemont, let's goooooo!" he complains. "I wanna pick my Pokémon!"

"So, you've decided on one then?" Clemont asks casually, hiding a smile at the defeated noise Ash makes in reply. "There's no need to hurry, Ash, Professor Sycamore isn't going anywhere. It's better to take a little bit more time to plan things out instead of rushing in."

Ash folds his arms across his chest, still laying on his back and looking up at the ceiling. "I guess you're right…" he says reluctantly. "Although winging things generally seems to work out for me." Ash hums tunelessly, not moving an inch from where he lays as Clemont gathers up the last of the items that he thinks might come in handy later on.

Clemont dumps the pile of spare parts and tools next to his rucksack, drawing Ash's attention away from the ceiling. "I'm getting kinda nostalgic, laying here," Ash admits, pulling himself up into a sitting position. He pats the platform. "This is where you made me the first time around, right?"

Pausing in his repacking, Clemont takes a moment to look around the workshop, thinking of all the times he'd spent with Ash in here. Despite the sadder memories of more recent times, they pale in comparison to the good memories Clemont has of the time spent in this very room. "It is," he answers, feeling the same nostalgia that Ash had mentioned sweeping him up. "You've come a long way since then."

"I think you have too, Clemont," Ash tells him seriously, propping his chin up on his hand. "We've both grown."

 _'Great! I look forward to working with you! Let's grow together, Clemont!'_

Clemont smiles. "You haven't gotten any less accident-prone, though," he teases Ash, who grins sheepishly back at him. "Although," Clemont says thoughtfully, tapping a screwdriver against his chin, "I _did_ accidentally trip over you almost straight after I built you and you bumped your head, so maybe that started a trend…"

"What?!" Ash says indignantly, sitting up straight, his eyes wide. "You never told me that!" He crosses his arms. "Geez, Clemont, that's so mean!"

A sheepish chuckle escapes Clemont as he rubs the back of his head. "Sorry…"

"Although…" Ash continues, scratching a cheek. "I guess I wouldn't be me if you hadn't, since my code wouldn't have gotten all messed up otherwise!" He flashes a blinding grin at Clemont, rendering him speechless for a few moments with the warm feeling that wells inside him.

"I... guess so, yes," Clemont eventually says, recovering. The thought seems almost inconceivable to him now – that everything might have depended on Clemont's clumsiness, that there could have been a world in which Ash never existed. But Clemont has already experienced a world where Ash no longer existed; those days had been amongst the worst in his entire life. Clemont never wanted to experience that feeling of hopelessness _ever_ again.

He busies himself with packing once more, pushing away memories that threaten to burden his heart on what should be a morning for excitement. For all of Ash's earlier complaints about how long Clemont is taking, a quick glance at a clock shows that not much time has passed at all. _There's not much left to do after this_ , he thinks as he buckles the last strap on his rucksack. _Everything should be packed and Clembot is already down in the Gym, waiting to be activated…_ Clemont suppresses a shiver at the thought of the Gym downstairs. "Oh yeah, I need to give these guys to Clembot as well," he says to himself, pulling three of his Pokéballs from his pocket.

"Huh? You're not gonna bring everyone with you?" Ash asks, brows knit in confusion. Clemont shakes his head.

"Since Clembot is going to be taking over the Gym for the two of us while we're gone, he's going to need some Pokémon to battle with," Clemont explains, holding out the three Pokéballs to the other. Ash accepts them, cradling them in his palms as he looks at Clemont expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "Just like how you've always borrowed my Pokémon to battle with. And Lumiose Gym is an electric Gym, so it's better if I leave Heliolisk, Magneton and Magnemite with Clembot. He might be new to being a Gym Leader, but all of my Pokémon have experience battling in Gym matches at least, so I know they'll do a good job."

"I'm sure Clembot will also do a great job of being a Gym Leader robot!" Ash says confidently, nodding. "After all, I managed it!" the robot adds, laughing. "Especially with all these guys' help." He indicates the Pokéballs in his hands.

"Yeah," Clemont agrees. He holds up Bunnelby's Pokéball. "However, I'm going to bring Bunnelby with me. He's not an electric type, and I think Clembot should be fine with the others." Clemont looks at the Pokéball in his hands. "Please bear with me a while longer, Bunnelby!"

"And me too!" Ash pipes up. "I'm looking forward to travelling together!" The Pokéball in Clemont's hand wriggles, as though Bunnelby is acknowledging their words. Ash and Clemont exchange a smile.

Ash sighs as Clemont resumes his packing. "To be honest though, even though I'm excited about going travelling with you and Bonnie… I'm gonna miss being here too," he admits, looking around at the workshop. "This is where I first met you and Bonnie, even if I _was_ asleep at the time… and it's where I woke up after you gave me this appearance… and then after…" Ash trails off, his eyes distant. "You and Bonnie are always here to meet me, so going into a deep sleep like I had to those times wasn't scary, 'cause I knew you'd both be there when I woke up again."

Clemont's packing has slowed as Ash spoke, until all he can do is just stare at Ash, willing himself not to burst into tears. He can't speak past the lump in his throat, but Ash doesn't seem to mind. The robot continues to muse aloud as he looks around at the workshop, most of it covered with sheets to keep off the dust while they are away. "I spent a lot of time in this room, watching thunderstorms go by or watching you work on your inventions… looking down at the city or up at the stars while you and Bonnie slept at night. Sometimes I still do," he admits, scratching his head sheepishly. "I haven't really gotten the hang of sleeping yet."

Tears fade in favour of an ungraceful snort of amusement. "Ash, considering most robots _don't_ sleep, I'd be surprised if you actually had picked it up smoothly."

"You guys always look so peaceful, though," Ash complains, crossing his arms. "I wish I could, it looks nice. It's not fun being the only one awake."

Clemont winces. "Sorry."

"Huh? Oh, it's not your fault, Clemont. Like you said, robots aren't supposed to sleep – but humans need to, right?" Ash says reasonably. He holds out the three Pokéballs in his hands, placing them in Clemont's hands when he reaches out to take them. However, instead of simply dropping them into Clemont's hands, Ash presses them into Clemont's hands and lays his hands over the top of them, curling his fingers around the edges of Clemont's palms. Clemont looks up at Ash, startled. He's unprepared for Ash's next words.

"I'm really glad that you made me," Ash tells him sincerely. "Every new day that dawns, every day I get to spend with you and Bonnie and Pikachu, every day that I get to be a Gym Leader and have battles – and from now on, as a Pokémon Trainer too – I'm really glad that I'm here, that I got to meet you." Ash grins suddenly, that blinding smile that always manages to take Clemont's breath away spreading across his face. "I really love being here! So, thank you, Clemont. For making me."

Clemont sniffles loudly in reply, his fight against the tears welling in his eyes already a losing battle as Ash's suddenly concerned features start to blur in a watery haze. He looks down at his feet, blinking furiously.

"Those are… happy tears… right?" Ash guesses, sounding uncertain.

Clemont squeezes his eyes shut, nodding furiously in reply as tears begin to escape and roll down his cheeks. "Yes, v – very happy," he manages, before words fail him completely.

There's a tug on his arm, drawing him blindly forward until Ash's arms wrap around his shoulders. Clemont buries his face against Ash's shoulder, clutching at the back of Ash's t-shirt as tears slowly soak into the thin material. The robot doesn't seem to mind, however, apparently content to kneel there and let Clemont cry into his shoulder.

Eventually, the tears slow to a trickle. Loathe as he is to let Ash go, Clemont drops his arms and moves back to give Ash some space. The wet patch on Ash's shoulder has his face heating up in mortification, the last of the tears drying up with his embarrassment. "S-sorry," he sniffles, wiping his eyes with a sleeve. "I got your shirt all wet…"

"Hrm?" Ash asks, bemused. He looks down at his shoulder like he is only just noticing the tearstains for the first time – considering this is Ash, it's quite possible that this is in fact the case. "Ahh, don't get embarrassed about that! It's okay to cry, you know?"

Clemont glances away, his face flushing a brighter red. It's all very well for Ash to say something like that, but it doesn't stop him from still feeling embarrassed about it. _This is meant to be the start of our new journey together, and here I am, a crying mess already!_ He pats his face, willing himself to calm down and act somewhat normal.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Ash suddenly says, breaking the mood. He rummages around in a pocket and holds his hand out to Clemont, letting his fingers fall open so that Clemont can see what lays in his palm. One of the Voltage badges from the Lumiose Gym sits there, shining under the lights of the workshop. The very same badge that Clemont had 'won' in his test Gym match against Ash, the first day that Ash had woken up. The very same badge that Clemont had given back to Ash as he lay lifeless on the very platform he sits on now.

Clemont looks from the badge to Ash's expectant face. "I was holding this when I woke up last week," Ash explains, interpreting Clemont's questioning look correctly. "This is the one I gave you on that first day we battled, right?"

Clemont blinks, amazed that Ash actually recognises this particular badge. "Yeah." All traces of tears or embarrassment have vanished in the wake of his curiosity.

"Mm, I thought so…" Ash nods, closing his fingers around the Voltage badge. Instead of returning it to his pocket, Ash reaches out and takes Clemont's hand to drop the small piece of metal into his palm. "Here, you should have this back. This is a badge that you won from a Gym Leader, after all!" Ash tells him, his smile reflected in his eyes.

"But I gave it back to you!" Clemont protests, staring down at the badge in his hand. He holds it out to Ash. "You should keep it!"

Ash shakes his head, pulling his hands back out of reach before Clemont can mirror his earlier gesture. "Nah, s'okay," he says. "You hold onto that for now." A fiercely determined grin suddenly splits his face. "I'm gonna earn it properly once I have four other badges!"

"Four…?" Clemont repeats, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah. That was the skill level you wanted potential challengers to have, wasn't it?" Ash asks, tapping his temple. "I remember asking you about it."

 _'You're meant to have at least four badges before you can challenge me… But I really wanna battle….!'_

 _'Huh? I only put in that I'd like them to have around four badges, if possible…'_

 _'Oh, really? Awesome! In that case, let's battle!'_

 _Our first battle…_ "Uh, well, I did say that, but…" He closes his fingers around the badge, feeling the smooth metal against his skin. "…You know I don't really follow that as a rule." Truth be told, he'd forgot that had ever been one of the conditions that he'd programmed into Ash's original AI. Ash was enthusiastic about accepting any and all challengers that came to the Gym and it was easy to get caught up in his sincere passion for the things he enjoyed.

 _Just as well that Ash was already ignoring his programming by that point_ , Clemont thinks, amused. _I don't have any badges, so who knows what could have happened if he'd stuck to it? We might have been thrown out of the Gym!_ He shakes his head, smiling at the small metal pin resting in his palm. _Well, I guess I have_ one _badge now, at least…_

Not that it would count officially; Gym Leaders couldn't compete in the League that their Gym was associated with. Clemont has already completed and submitted the paperwork a few days ago to deregister Ash as a Gym Leader and register Clembot in his place. Ash had been rather disgruntled at the change in status, unhappy that his promise to keep working at the Gym with Clemont was effectively broken. Clemont had pointed out that it was only while Ash competed in the championship league – there was nothing to stop him returning once the competition was over. Reasoning that it was more like Ash's promise was on hold rather than broken had made Ash's grumbling subside. Apparently, Ash has been thinking about the other implications that come with his new status in the days that have passed since then – namely, that he was now free to challenge the Lumiose Gym like any other Trainer for one of his eight badges if he so chose.

"Yeah, I know," Ash replies. "But I want to have those skills before I come back to challenge this Gym for my own Voltage Badge." That intense spark is back in the robot's eyes as he grins at Clemont. "And when I do, I want my opponent to be _you_ , not Clembot."

Clemont's eyes widen in surprise; a moment later, a challenging grin spreads across his face as an answering spark of determination flares up in his chest to match the bright look in his friend's eyes. "Very well then, I'll be waiting for your challenge!" he replies firmly, fingers closing around the Voltage Badge in his hand. "And until that time comes, I'll acquire more skills as well, so that I can give you a proper battle as a Gym Leader!"

"I look forward to it," Ash says with a grin. "It's a promise, Clemont!"

Clemont nods. "Yes, it is!" The two of them laugh happily together, both boys already looking forward to their promised Gym battle.

"All right, I'm all fired up now!" Ash exclaims as Clemont slips the badge into his pocket for safe-keeping. "Clemont, how's the packing going?"

"Well, I think I've got everything now," Clemont says, patting his backpack. "Shall we head off then? The Professor should be ready for us by now."

"Yeah!" Ash cheers, springing to his feet with a most un-robot-like agility that Clemont quietly envies. "Alright, let's go! I think your Dad said that he'd be waiting down in the Gym with Clembot to see us all off as well."

About to lift up his backpack, Clemont stills at the mention of the Gym again. _I can't avoid it forever, that's ridiculous,_ Clemont berates himself furiously. _I'm the Gym Leader, for goodness' sake!_ _And yet… and yet… the thought of stepping foot in that place again…_

"Clemont?" Ash asks, brows drawn down in concern. "Are you okay?"

"W – What? Oh, y – yes, of course," Clemont replies, flustered. He takes a deep breath and forces himself to speak more calmly. "Let's find Bonnie and then we can all head down to the Gym together."

Ash doesn't move, looking unconvinced by Clemont's claims of being alright. "You know…" he starts, scratching his head. "…It's okay to be sad or nervous about leaving home for a while, right?" Ash says finally, tilting his head to the side. There's a strange expression on his face. "I mean, I know you've left home before when you went away to study, but at least then you knew when you'd be back. So it's probably different this time, right?" Ash pauses for a second, obviously mulling over his words. "I've never had a dad, so I don't know what it would be like to not see them for a while, but…" Ash places a hand over his chest, where his clockwork heart rests. "I know that I'd be hurt really bad in here if I had to leave you and Bonnie for any reason, so…"

For the second time in as many minutes, Clemont is rendered speechless. _How does he manage to continually surprise me like this?_ Clemont wonders, not for the first time. Ash might have completely the wrong idea about what is worrying him – well, not completely; Clemont is maybe a _little_ nervous about the three of them travelling around on their own, but he has faith they'll manage in the end – but here his robot is, doing his best to comfort him regardless. _He has such a kind heart… I'm sorry to worry you, Ash, but this is something I don't think you can help me with. I need to figure this out on my own._

"That's not exactly it, but thanks, Ash," Clemont replies with a small but genuine smile. Ash crosses his arms and studies Clemont for a few more moments, until Clemont starts to feel a bit nervous from the unwavering stare. "Uh…"

Ash blinks, a spark of understanding suddenly dawning in his eyes. "Clemont… you… haven't actually been down to see the Gym at all in the past week, have you?" he asks slowly, brows furrowed in thought.

 _Urk. He noticed._ "I went down there the other day!" Clemont protests wildly.

"You came down to get me," Ash retorts, still clearly thinking things through. "And you didn't actually step foot inside the Gym at all." _Urk._ _He even noticed that!_ "Clemont… are you sure you're okay?" Ash looks unusually serious. "You can tell me if you're worried about something, you know. Especially if it's about the Gym. Are you worried Clembot won't be able to look after the Gym challenges properly? If you need more time to upgrade him or something, we can stay in Lumiose for a few more days. I can wait."

 _Oh, Ash._ This, coming from someone who had woken Clemont up at four in the morning in the hopes they could go and receive a Pokémon from Professor Sycamore right then and there! Ash doesn't look particularly thrilled about the idea, but his concern for Clemont's sake apparently far outweighs his own adventurous desires. That Ash would put his own dreams on hold – even if only for a few days – to make sure that Clemont was alright was a bit overwhelming for him to contemplate. _Too bad that's not actually the problem_.

"No, no, it's not that!" he hastily replies, waving his hands around for emphasis. "Thank you, Ash, I really appreciate the offer! But Clembot is fine as he is now; there's nothing else I need to do for him." Clemont sighs in defeat. "The truth is…"

He trails off. _I can't tell Ash the truth_ , he thinks miserably. _What kind of Gym Leader is too afraid to enter their own Gym?_ There was nothing Ash could do to help in any case. Clemont hasn't managed to step foot inside his Gym ever since Team Rocket had tried to steal Ash and his Pokémon. It's better at night, when darkness shrouds the Gym and he can barely see a thing. During the day, however… even with all the reconstruction going on and some of the Gym restored back to new, Clemont can only ever see his Gym in ruins when he looks at it now.

Ash, lying lifeless on the ground.

There's too many painful memories associated with Lumiose Gym at the moment. Maybe they will fade with time, overwritten by the memories of his travels with Ash. Clemont certainly hopes so, because the thought of losing his Gym – losing all of the other _good_ memories he has of it – hurts almost as much as actually looking at it.

It wouldn't be fair to burden Ash with all of this. Lumiose Gym is Ash's home; it's where he was created, after all. He was created specifically to help out with Gym Leader duties and no matter how much Ash has evolved on his own, being a Gym Leader will always be a core part of him. Despite everything that happened, despite practically _dying_ in that very Gym – but then, it wasn't _Ash_ who remembered dying – it's still Ash's beloved Gym as much as it is Clemont's. Ruining that for him – confessing that the thought of walking back into that huge hall has him in a cold sweat every time – it wouldn't be fair. Clemont won't spoil that for Ash. _I just need to get more courage to overcome this on my own._ Hopefully, the time away from the Gym will help.

He can't tell Ash the truth, but he can offer at least a partial truth. "The truth is," he repeats, "even with all the work that's being done to restore the Gym at the moment… it hurts to look at it, Ash."

Ash sighs, shoulders slumping as he uncrosses his arms. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Seeing it all destroyed like that hurts me as well. But," he offers, "Meyer will make sure they put it back to how it was before, so by the time we return to Prism Tower the Gym will look as good as new!"

He grins at Clemont, so brightly that Clemont can't help but smile back no matter how he feels. "Yeah, you're right," he agrees. _And hopefully by then I'll have sorted out my feelings about it as well._ Hefting his backpack onto his shoulders, Clemont winces at both the weight – _Ash was right, this is_ heavy! – and the way one of the straps digs into the bruises on his chest.

His vague hope that maybe Ash hadn't noticed is immediately dashed when he sees Ash frowning. He's by Clemont's side in a flash, reaching out to press a gentle hand against Clemont's chest. Despite the care Ash takes, the pressure is still enough to draw another wince.

"That's from when I shoved you that day, isn't it?" Ash asks, brown eyes filled with sorrow.

He's hidden enough from Ash already today. "Yeah," Clemont admits. Ash sighs through his nose, mouth twisting in distaste at the confirmation that he had caused Clemont injury.

"I'm sorry," Ash tells him sadly, regret plain on his face. "It must have hurt."

"It's okay," Clemont reassures him. "There's nothing to forgive, it wasn't your fault. It's just bruises, anyway; they're almost all healed by now."

"Still…" Ash's hand is still resting over Clemont's heart, as though he can heal the bruises just by touching them. It's only when Ash's fingers spread out – very carefully, afraid of causing more hurt – that Clemont realises that the robot is listening to Clemont's heartbeat. "You said it was dangerous for me, going on this journey," Ash says slowly, almost hesitant. "But… I never stopped to think that it might be dangerous for humans like you and Bonnie, too." He pulls his hand away and stares at it with an unreadable expression, flexing his fingers every now and then.

 _He's worried too…_

"True, there will probably be times when things are dangerous for all of us," Clemont agrees. "But you don't have to worry about it yet. That's why we have each other, after all!" He hesitates for a moment before placing a hand on Ash's shoulder and squeezing it gently. "We'll look out for each other, keep each other out of trouble and patch each other up if we need to – although keeping _you_ out of trouble might take a miracle." He grins at a surprised Ash. "But no matter what happens, we'll all be together," Clemont finishes. "And that's what's most important, right?"

Ash's surprise melts into an answering grin that lights up his eyes. "Right!"

"Clemont! Ash! Are you guys ready?" Bonnie calls, her voice echoing down the hallway. A few seconds later, her head pokes around the door to Clemont's workshop. "Ah, here you both are!" she cries, spotting them and hurrying over, Pikachu following at her heels. "Pikachu and I were looking all over for you! Dad's waiting downstairs," she adds to Clemont.

"Thanks, Bonnie. We'd better not keep your Dad waiting, then," Ash replies, shouldering his backpack with an ease that Clemont envies. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yep!" Bonnie replies happily, patting the yellow satchel at her hip. She grabs a hold of Ash's hand, tugging him towards the door. "Come on, come on, let's go, Ash!" she chants excitedly. Clemont hides a grin as he watches the two of them. _Bonnie's almost as excited as Ash is!_

"Come on, Clemont, aren't you coming?" Ash laughs, grabbing Clemont's attention. A hand closes around his wrist, drawing a startled yelp from an unsuspecting Clemont as he is tugged forwards as well. Ash chuckles, grinning over his shoulder at Clemont as Bonnie tows them both towards the door.

" _Pikapi!_ "

Bonnie comes to a surprised halt. Behind her, Ash and Clemont also slow to a stop, Clemont peering over Ash's shoulder curiously. Pikachu stands in front of the doorway with his arms spread out as though to block the way, looking determined. _Huh? Pikachu…?_

"Hey, Clemont, what's Pikachu doing?" Bonnie asks, looking over her shoulder up at her brother. Clemont shakes his head in response, just as bewildered as his sister. Ash, however, closes the distance steadily and kneels down in front of the electric Pokémon. Pikachu drops his arms, apparently satisfied that Ash isn't about to leave before he can say what he wants to say.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asks kindly.

Pikachu waves his arms wildly. "Pika pikachu chu pika! Pikapi pika!"

Clemont can't see Ash's face from where he is standing and he's not exactly sure what Pikachu has just said, but Ash's shoulders slump just the slightest. Still, Ash's voice sounds normal when he replies in a reassuring tone. "Don't worry, Pikachu. We'll take you back to the garden before we leave so you can be with all your other friends. Or – if you want, you can stay here while we're gone. I'm sure Clemont won't mind."

 _Oh, Ash._ Clemont's heart aches for his friend; from the sound of things, Pikachu has decided to stay behind…

" _Chu!_ "

…Or not?

Pikachu shakes his head, looking exasperated as he holds his arms up in a X sign. Ash blinks, and there's a small seed of hope sprouting in Clemont's chest again. "You… don't wanna go back to the flower garden?"

Pikachu nods. "Pika!"

"Then… what do you wanna do?" Ash asks, still looking puzzled.

"Pika pikapi!" Pikachu replies, a cheerful smile on his face as he waves his arms enthusiastically again.

Ash blinks again. "You… wanna come with me?" Hope and joy bloom in Ash's voice, growing with every word that he speaks. The slumped line of his shoulders disappear as Ash straightens. "Really?"

Pikachu nods vigorously. "Pika!"

Laughter bubbles up from Ash's chest. "Pikachu!" he cries, overjoyed, spreading his arms. Pikachu leaps into them with enough force that Ash is knocked backwards, falling on his backside. Ash doesn't seem to mind, simply hugging Pikachu to his chest fiercely as he laughs. Pikachu hugs Ash back just as hard with a happy " _Chaaaaaaaaa!_ "

"Yay! Pikachu's coming with us!" Bonnie cheers, throwing her arms up in the air. Clemont feels like cheering himself; as it is, his smile is so wide that his cheeks are starting to hurt.

"Good for you, Ash!" he tells the laughing Trainer. "That's great!"

"Thanks!" Ash says breathlessly, grinning up at Clemont. His laughter dies down and his expression turns serious as he glances back down at Pikachu, still cradled in his arms. "But… are you really sure, Pikachu?"

"Pi?" Pikachu asks, the Pokémon's head tilting to the side as he looks up at Ash.

Ash sighs. "You keep getting into trouble because of me," he explains. "First at the flower garden, then at the Gym the other week… plus I'm gonna be a Trainer – there'll be heaps of battles. I _like_ battling. But I wouldn't want you to get injured again just because of that." He brushes the scar on Pikachu's tail with gentle fingers, sadness passing over his face.

Pikachu contemplates this for a few seconds, face unusually serious, before abruptly swinging around and batting Ash across the face with his tail. "Ow!" Ash says, startled, putting a hand to his cheek. "What was that for?!"

"Pikapi pika chupi pika!" Pikachu scolds, paws on hips. "Pika pika pikachu pi!"

Ash laughs sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, alright, I gotcha, I gotcha!" he says, chuckling. "Sorry! I just wanted to check!"

"Pika _chu_." Pikachu crosses his arms haughtily, looking less than impressed at Ash's reasoning.

"Aww, come on Pikachu, don't be like that," Ash laughs, collecting the unamused Pokémon in his arms and hugging him again. "I'd love for you to come with us! Will you be my partner?"

Pikachu tries to stay stern in the face of Ash's returning joy but quickly gives in after a few seconds, laughing as he hugs the robot back. "Pika!"

Well, there was still one more step to go before Pikachu could be officially recognised as Ash's Pokémon. This time it's Clemont's turn to step forward, as he kneels beside Ash to offer him a Pokéball. "Here you go, Ash," he says with a smile. "You'll need this to catch Pikachu as your own Pokémon."

"Ah! Thanks, Clemont, I'd almost completely forgotten!" Ash replies, taking the Pokéball from Clemont gratefully. He frowns when he notices Pikachu watching the Pokéball warily. "Hm? What's wrong, Pikachu?" he asks in concern. Pikachu makes a face at the red and white ball.

"Chu…"

Ash exchanges a glance with Clemont, asking silently if he has any idea what the matter is. Clemont frowns in thought, putting a hand to his chin. _Pikachu doesn't seem to have any second thoughts about going with Ash, so it's not that… Just an issue with the Pokéball itself, maybe? Wait, I think I read something about this while I was studying._ "I've heard that there are some Pokémon who just don't like being enclosed in a Pokéball," Clemont says aloud slowly, tapping his chin. "Pikachu have been noted as having a higher percentage of this trait than other Pokémon."

"Oh, is that it?" Ash asks Pikachu. He hefts the Pokéball. "You don't like being inside this?"

Pikachu nods with a relieved look on his face. "Pika."

"I see…"

Clemont sighs. "The Pokémon Association won't recognise Pikachu as an official part of your team unless he's been properly caught with a Pokéball," he informs robot and Pokémon with regret. "If he's not registered, you won't be able to use Pikachu in any Gym matches or League-affiliated battles."

Pikachu's ears slant back unhappily. "Pikapi…"

"Hrm," Ash replies, closing his eyes for a few moments of thought. Then he nods to himself, opening them again. "No worries!" He holds the Pokéball out to Pikachu. "I know you don't like being in this," he tells the electric Pokémon. "So I promise, after this, you'll never have to go inside it ever again, okay?"

Pikachu looks up at Ash with uncertainty on his face. Clemont and Bonnie both hold their breath, waiting for the electric Pokémon's response. It doesn't take long. Ash gives Pikachu a reassuring smile and suddenly the small Pokémon's eyes shine with trust. With a determined nod, Pikachu reaches out and taps the Pokéball with a paw, disappearing inside it in a flash of red light. Ash cups the ball in his hands as it wriggles around furiously, the indicator light blinking rapidly on and off.

 _Come on, Pikachu, you can do it!_ Clemont thinks fervently. Beside Clemont, Bonnie clasps her hands together. "Please…" she whispers. "Please, Pikachu!" Ash stays silent, his belief in Pikachu keeping his face calm as he watches the wildly rocking Pokéball.

After what seems like an age, the Pokéball finally lets out a small ' _ding!_ ' and the indicator light blinks out in a spray of sparkles. Ash's calm expression breaks into a beaming grin. "Yes!"

Clemont breathes a sigh of relief as Bonnie cheers next to him, a hand on his heart. "Thank goodness!"

"Alright, come on out of there, Pikachu!" Ash calls, holding out the Pokéball. A flash of white light reveal sPikachu curled in on himself. Pikachu's ears twitch in the open air of the workshop and he straightens. A shiver runs down the small Pokémon's body and fluffs up his fur as Pikachu shakes his head with a noise of discontent.

"Hey there, Pikachu," Ash smiles. Pikachu's head snaps up at the sound of Ash's voice.

"Pikapi!" Gone is the discontent from moments earlier, replaced with a happiness that radiates from the small Pokémon's body as he bounds across the floor and slams into Ash's chest for an enthusiastic hug. " _Chaaaaaa!_ "

"Good to see you too, buddy!" Ash laughs, scratching Pikachu between the ears. "Thanks, Pikachu! Let's aim together for the Kalos League Championship! And then onwards to being a Pokémon Master!"

"Pika!" Pikachu replies enthusiastically, raising a paw.

Ash's shoulders tremble with barely-contained excitement. He turns to Clemont and Bonnie, his brown eyes shining as he holds Pikachu in his arms. "Look Clemont!" Ash exclaims, beaming widely. "I got Pikachu! I've caught my very first Pokémon!"

Clemont laughs, light-hearted as Ash and Pikachu's combined joy wipes away everything that has been weighing down his mind lately. Team Rocket, the Gym, their journey – all of it pales beside this moment. _This_ is why he had decided that Ash should go on his journey and chase after his dream, no matter how dangerous things got. _This_ is why Clemont will be right beside him every step of the way; to watch Ash grow and achieve his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master and all the ups and downs that this adventure would more than likely bring them. Clemont has no doubt that Ash would rise to meet every challenge that faces him; Ash's steadfastness gives Clemont courage and makes him want to try his hardest as well, so that he can continue to support Ash and grow into a person worthy enough to be his robot's equal.

Pikachu had seen that same spark in Ash, that determination and courage and _kindness_ that makes Ash such an exceptional person whether he was made of metal or of bone. The Pikachu that they had met that day in the flower gardens had been mistrustful of humans, but Ash had somehow gotten past the wary Pokémon's defences; it's easy to see that the Pikachu that sat with them today loves Ash with a fierce loyalty. Clemont is glad that Pikachu has decided to come with them and that he managed to overcome his dislike of enclosed spaces long enough out of that same love to let himself be captured. It seemed Ash inspires courage in everyone he met.

"Congratulations, Ash!" he replies, beaming. "I'm really happy for you!" He turns his attention to Pikachu, holding out his hand. Pikachu stretches out a paw to grasp Clemont's hand and they shake hands. "Please bear with me from here on out, Pikachu!" he says cheerfully.

"Pipika!" Pikachu responds with a happy smile, patting their joined hands with his free paw.

Bonnie leans in, throwing her arms around Pikachu. "Pikachu, you were really brave!" she exclaims. Pikachu blushes, rubbing the back of his head bashfully. Bonnie giggles and sits back on her heels. "I'm so glad you're coming with us, Pikachu! Let's have lots of fun together!"

"Pika!"

Clemont gets to his feet, adjusting his backpack and brushing the dust of the workshop off his jumpsuit. He then stretches out a hand to both Bonnie and Ash, helping to pull them to their feet when they grab his hands. "So Ash, are you ready to go?" Clemont asks.

Ash reaches up to adjust his hat, settling it on his head as Pikachu climbs onto his shoulder. He exchanges a quick glance with Pikachu before he turns back to Clemont and gives him a nod in reply, brown eyes filled with a fiery enthusiasm. "Yeah!"

He blinks as Ash holds out his hand, a smile on the robot's face. "Clemont, Bonnie, I hope you'll bear with me!"

Clemont smiles in reply. "Yes, likewise!" he answers, taking Ash's hand. As always, Ash's hand is warm beneath his own.

"Ah!" Bonnie exclaims, a pout on her face as she bounces up and down on the spot. "No fair! Me too, me too!"

Clemont hides a smile as he and Ash kneel down so that Bonnie can reach their clasped hands as well. Pikachu jumps off Ash's shoulder, joining Bonnie in laying a hand – or paw – on top of Ash and Clemont's hands. "Let's go and meet lots of Pokémon!" Bonnie exclaims. The laughter bubbling up inside of Clemont finally escapes him in a joyful chuckle, meeting Ash's grin across everyone's joined hands. _Here we go!_

"All right, everyone!" Ash announces. "Let's set off on our adventure!"

Together, they all raise their hands up into the air. "Yeah!" Bonnie and Clemont cheer, echoed by a happy "Pika!"

Ash grins at all of them and offers an arm to Pikachu, leaping to his feet once he is comfortably settled on his shoulder. "We'd better go say bye to your Dad or he'll be wondering where we are!" Ash teases as he heads out the door. "Come on, let's go!"

"Yeah!" Bonnie exclaims, racing after Ash. Clemont follows his sister at a more sedate pace, pausing in the doorway for one last look back at his workshop.

 _This is where it all started, huh, Ash?_ he thinks, glancing around at the sheets covering the benches. _I can't believe it's only been half a year that we've known each other… I never expected things to turn out like this!_ He smiles to himself, a quiet, private smile. _Maybe it_ was _only by accident that you became who you are, but I'm glad I met you too!_

"Come on, Clemont!" Ash's voice floats down the hallway. "I still don't want Professor Sycamore to run out of Pokémon before we get there!"

"Coming!" Clemont calls back. He flicks off the light, plunging his workshop into darkness and closes the door behind him firmly. Ash and Bonnie are waiting expectantly for him at the end of the hallway by the front door.

"There you are!" Ash says as Clemont hurries towards them. The robot reaches out, grabbing Bonnie and Clemont's hands with his own. "Let's go, together!"

And so together they step over the threshold, ready to begin their new adventure.

 _fin._

* * *

 _TO BE CONTINUED (maybe)_

Aaaaand that's all folks!

It took two years to write but it's finally done! C: I can't believe I actually managed to finish it! This is the longest fic I've ever written :O

I just want to say a really big thank you to everyone who has stuck through to the end of this story, especially everyone who reviewed or faved! Your kind words have meant a lot to me. Glad you all decided to come along for the ride in this random AU hahaha Also a really big thank you to my friend once again, who beta-read this for me and put up with me screaming about plot holes for two years and just generally motivated me to keep writing it ^^b

For those of you wondering if there will be a sequel: The original intention, when I started writing this fic, was that this whole thing would be a short ( _LOL_ ) sort of "episode 0/episode 1" fic that would replace the first episode of the XY anime, and then after that it would just be little scenes (whether onscreen or offscreen) from each episode to map out their journey in snapshots. Unfortunately, this fic grew into a beast and sapped my will/motivation somewhat, so I only wrote two scenes from episodes fairly far apart and moved on.

However! I still wouldn't mind doing some short scenes, and the only episode I actually had a (vague!) plotline for was the replacement for "Clemont's Got a Secret/Retake the Lumiose Gym" so… if anyone has a request for a scene from one of the episodes (can be an onscreen moment, can be an offscreen moment we never saw) and if it fits into the AU, I'll have a go at writing it? I can't promise that I will definitely write it, for various reasons (motivation, plotline, other fics etc), but I'll certainly try C: Got a request for the volcano ep which means that they're all gonna be kinda angsty so far?

The two ficlets that I've already done will be posted once I actually work out a title for the collective sequels... why are fic titles so hard D:

As always, thanks for reading! C:


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